Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan late on Monday warned that the Republican Party of Armenia is attempting to sabotage Tuesday’s parliament vote for a new prime minister, which will take place with Pashinyan as the only candidate, Armenian media reports.
In a Facebook Live broadcast after midnight local time, Pashinyan said that he received information that during a late night meeting led by former prime minister Serzh Sarkisian, the Republican Party of Armenia has decided to sabotage the election of a prime minister. The Republican Party of Armenia earlier had announced that they would not hamper the “election of the people’s candidate,” and also said that they will not put forward their own candidate.
Pashinyan, who had called a “Victory Rally” for 11 a.m. urged his supporters to gather at Republic Square to thwart what he called “Serzh Sarkisian’s and the Republican Party’s new plan,” saying the ruling party is trying to regain its hold on the country’s leadership.
While Pashinyan had declared Monday as a “Day of Silence” ahead of Tuesday’s vote, the political developments were anything but silent.
Earlier in the day, Pashinyan met with the Republican Party of Armenia’s parliamentary faction at the National Assembly buildingentric.