YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Republican Party (HHK) First Vice President Vigen Sargsyan says he hopes that their party has reached out its concerns and approaches to voters and the society, which will trust the HHK.

“First of all I have great expectations that our society today will actively participate in the vote,” Sargsyan, who leads the HHK list, told reporters after casting his vote in Yerevan. He came to the polling station together with his wife and daughters.  

“This is very important; especially during decisive moments for the country we need unity. Regardless of what stance people have, the last thing that can be done today is to sit at home. You must go and vote, make a choice, give a conscious vote to the force with which you tie the country’s future, be it the government or a counterbalance force,” he said.

“Second of all, I expect us to have a more united society in the end of the day. Today I voted for the Armenia where dividing the society into blacks and whites will not cross anyone’s mind, because this is the direct path towards forming a domestic enemy,” he said.

“Our challenges are many, while our resources comparably few. I expect that after today’s vote we will have a country where at least in the vital issues – security, defense, foreign policy, we will rely on knowledge, experience and coherency, and we won’t make steps that might weaken our positions in the region,” Sargsyan, a former defense minister, said.

Armenia is electing a new parliament.

2010 polling stations across 13 electoral districts throughout the country have opened as of 08:00, December 9.

The vote will be concluded at 20:00, and the ballot count will begin.

Nine political parties and two alliances are running for parliament.

Candidates are – Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), Citizens Decision Social-Democratic Party, ARF, aka Dashnaktsutyun, the ruling My Step Alliance, Lusavor Hayastan (Luminous Armenia) Party, Christian-People’s Rebirth Party, National Progress Party, Menk (We) Alliance, Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law, aka Country of Law) Party and Bargavatch Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) Party.

According to official data, 2,573,779 people are entitled to vote. 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tendered a tactical resignation on October 16 in a maneuver to trigger the process of dissolving the parliament.

In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.

Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still held most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesn’t represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.

The parliament was dissolved by virtue of law on November 1.  On the same day, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed an order on calling early general election on December 9.

The incumbent parliament functions until the new parliament is elected.

The government is formally a caretaker government until a new Cabinet is formed after the election.

The campaigning period kicked off November 26 with 11 political parties and blocs running for parliament.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan