Armenian PM to quit before poll

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed on Sunday that he will resign from the post in April in order to allow an early parliamentary election to take place.

"I will resign in April-not to leave power, but to hold early parliamentary elections. I will continue to act as interim prime minister until the elections," Pashinyan said in a meeting with residents of the southwestern Armavir Region. He did not give a date for his resignation.

Pashinyan, who has been in power since 2018, announced early last week that the parliamentary elections would be brought forward to June.

Pashinyan earlier proposed holding a referendum in October to adopt a new constitution, saying snap elections were possible under certain conditions.

Under Armenian law, early elections can be held after a prime minister resigns and the parliament fails in two attempts to choose a new one.

Pashinyan's announcements have come amid mounting tensions between him and the Armenian army's general staff and calls from opposition parties for him to resign.

On March 10, the Prime Minister's Office said that Chief of the General Staff Onik Gasparyan was considered dismissed because President Armen Sarkissian neither signed a dismissal order nor applied to the Constitutional Court in relation to the matter within a deadline stipulated by the law.

Pashinyan appointed Artak Davtyan as the new chief of the general staff and sent the proposal to Sarkissian.

On Feb 25, Pashinyan dismissed Gasparyan and sent the notice to Sarkissian, accusing Gasparyan of attempting a military coup.

Two days later, Pashinyan submitted a second request to Sarkissian in relation to Gasparyan's dismissal, shortly after Sarkissian refused to sign the request. Sarkissian had said dismissal of the military chief was unconstitutional.

Pashinyan's move to sack Gasparyan on Feb 25 came in response to a signed statement by Gasparyan, his deputies and dozens of top military commanders demanding the prime minister and his cabinet resign.

Xinhua contributed to the story.