Baku, Azerbaijan, May 2
Trend:
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ara Babloyan has announced the next session of the legislative body invalid because of lack of quorum, as only 33 out of 105 MPs registered for the session, while attendance of 53 MPs is required.
On May 2, supporters of opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, who was not elected as Prime Minister by the Armenian Parliament the day before, blocked streets, roads and bridges throughout the country. Before the meeting, MP from the Tsarukyan faction, Vahe Enfiajyan said the faction is announcing a boycott of the parliamentary week, because of the current situation in the country.
On May 1, the Parliament of Armenia failed to elect the leader of the protest movement Nikol Pashinyan as the head of the government. Forty-five MPs voted for him, while 53 votes were required. According to the law, in a week the Parliament will try to re-elect the Prime Minister. Otherwise, the legislative body will be automatically dissolved.
Actions against the election of former President Serzh Sargsyan as Armenia's Prime Minister began on April 13. The opposition accuses Sargsyan, who was twice elected President, of poor governance and deterioration of economic situation in the country. On April 17, the opposition announced the beginning of the "velvet revolution". Despite the protests, the Armenian Parliament elected Sargsyan head of the Cabinet on the same day. Less than a week later, on April 23, Sargsyan resigned amid continuing protests.