Three Opposition Parties form New Electoral Bloc

YEREVAN — Three Armenian opposition parties signed on Monday a memorandum of cooperation to set up an alliance that will challenge the government in parliamentary elections slated for April.

The document, signed by the representatives of the Hanrapetutyun (Republic), Bright Armenia and Civil Contract parties, envisages forming a political bloc with a united list of candidates to run for the parliament seats.

The three groups have yet to decide who will top that list and thus be the still-unnamed bloc’s candidate for the post of Armenia’s prime minister. Civil Contract officially nominated its de facto leader Nikol Pashinian’s candidacy for the post earlier this year.

Pashinian made clear that his party is “not bound” by that decision.” “In this context, all discussions have to start from scratch,” he told reporters. “None of the parties intends to impose some decisions on its partners.”

“We are confident that we will reach a common denominator as a result of discussions,” he said after the chairmen of the three parties signed a memorandum on the creation of the electoral alliance.

The joint memorandum says that the three parties will strive for a “European model of the democratic, rule-of-law and social state” in Armenia and are strongly committed to the country’s “sovereignty.” But it does not elaborate on the new bloc’s foreign policy orientation.

The Hanrapetutyun leader, Aram Sarkisian, said at the signing ceremony that he and his opposition allies agree on “geopolitical” and “strategic” issues. He did not go into details.

“Let God protect us to save Armenia,” Sasun Mikayelian, Chairman of the Civil Contract Party board declared after the signing ceremony.

He next called on the people and individuals concerned with the future of the country to entrust them to ensure victories for the political force.