Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

The February 25, 2021 statement by the Chief of Staff of the RA armed forces demanding the RA Prime Minister’s resignation is, in our assessment, unconstitutional: it violates the principle of non-intervention of the armed forces into domestic politics and a violation of constitutional norms, which creates real and serious threats for Armenia. The statement exacerbates the already difficult situation in the country.

We call upon everyone, including the military leadership to respect the RA Constitution, to keep the army and armed forces out of political processes and to not interfere in political developments.

Reconsidering the current situation, we call upon the RA authorities to be vigilant and responsible and to immediately launch the process of early parliamentary elections and to undertake relevant measures to ensure free and fair expression of the people’s will and to initiate urgent discussions with political and public groups for that purpose.

Considering the importance of the parliamentary system of governance, we urge the parliamentary factions to call an urgent session of the National Assembly to discuss the current situation, the statement of the chief of staff of the armed forces, and the steps necessary for organizing early parliamentary elections, and to announce the timeline of holding the early elections.

We demand that the RA Prime Minister be discreet, balanced and considerate in his public speech and not give in to provocations.

We call for restraint from political actors and for exclusion of statements and incitement of using violence and lawlessness in political life that has been going on for a long period. This method is absolutely unacceptable and should be condemned.   

We call upon the citizens of the Republic of Armenia to be vigilant, to be ready to protect democratic principles and your own freedoms, just as you have been able to withstand the provocations from extremist and vulgar statements by those who have tried to humiliate you.

Levon Barseghyan

Artur Sakunts

Stepan Grigoryan

Sona Ayvazyan

Daniel Ioannisyan

Genya Petrosyan

Hasmik Mkhitaryan

Oleg Durgaryan

Stella Chandirian