Armenia PM to resign ahead of snap elections to 'curb political crisis'
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced his decision to step down next month in an attempt to "defuse a political crisis" gripping the country since last year's conflict with Azerbaijan.
Pashinyan made the announcement on Sunday during a visit to northwestern Armenia, saying he will "resign in April" ahead of snap parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 20.
"I will resign not to resign, but in order for early elections to take place," he said, according to a video published on his Facebook page.
"I will continue to serve as interim prime minister," he added.
The Armenian premier has faced calls to resign over what his critics describe as his mishandling of the 2020 conflict with Azerbaijan, including a November 6 ceasefire agreement over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The truce deal, which left Azerbaijan largely in control of the territory, triggered political turmoil in Armenia. Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan was forced to resign amid growing discontent across the South Caucasus nation.
Earlier this month, Pashinyan announced an early parliamentary vote on June 20, saying it was "the best way out of the current internal political situation".
The announcement came after the General Staff of the Armenian army issued a statement on February, signed by the country’s top military officers, demanding that Pashinyan and his government step down.
Pashinyan further said if voters support him and his team, they will “continue to serve you better than before".
"If not, we will transfer power to whoever you select," he added.
This is while protesters have regularly taken to the streets in recent months, demanding the resignation of Pashinyan, whom they call a ‘traitor.’
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been populated by ethnic Armenians.
Azerbaijani forces gained the upper hand and retrieved large swathes of land in the recent conflict between the two ex-Soviet republics, which broke out in late September.
On November 9, leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a joint statement on the complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The agreement ended weeks of heavy fighting that left at least 2,400 people dead and displaced tens of thousands.
In the Russia-brokered deal, Pashinyan agreed to cede swathes of territory in and around Nagorno-Karabakh to end the fighting.
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