Council of Europe offers expert assistance to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian president Armen Sarkissian and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland have discussed the situation in Armenia.

A campaign against the Armenian authorities was in full swing across Yerevan and the rest of the republic on Wednesday, May 2 after the parliament failed to elect opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan as the country's new prime minister on Tuesday.

The president praised the Council's role in implementation of reforms in the country.

Jagland, in turn, expressed the CoE's readiness to provide further support, including expert assistance to legislative reforms, if necessary.

The founder and head of Civil Contract party and lawmaker from the Yelk bloc, Pashinyan leads the campaign against the ruling authorities, which has seen thousands of Armenians taking to the streets in massive protests in the past several weeks.

Former prime minister Serzh Sargsyan was forced to resign on April 23, and Pashinyan is now seeking the appointment as prime minister by the National Assembly of what he calls “the people’s candidate”, - i.e. himself - the formation of an interim government and snap parliamentary elections.

Pashinyan has promised to rid Armenia of corruption and poverty.

Demonstrations have been halted since Thursday after the ruling Republican Party of Armenia pledged to support Pashinyan’s candidacy.