On 2 October 2018, protest demonstrations demanding the dissolution of the National Assembly of Armenia were held in the capital city of

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and ...

and at other locations in

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ...

. The protests were a response to a vote by the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...

to block Prime Minister

Nikol Pashinyan Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan ( hy, Նիկոլ Վովայի Փաշինյան, ; born 1 June 1975) is an Armenian politician serving as the prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in 1 ...

from disbanding the legislature and holding an election. In the evening, the prime minister's supporters gathered at Marshal Baghramyan Avenue, Baghramyan and Karen Demirchyan streets and blockaded the National Assembly building. After endorsement by Pashinyan, protest rallies were also launched at

Vanadzor Vanadzor ( hy, Վանաձոր) is an urban municipal community and the third-largest city in Armenia, serving as the capital of Lori Province in the northern part of the country. It is located about north of the capital Yerevan. As of the 2011 cen ...

and

Gyumri Gyumri ( hy, Գյումրի, ) is an urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th century, when the city w ...

Background

A draft law, ''Amending the National Assembly Rules of Procedure'', drawn up jointly by RPA faction members

Arpine Hovhannisyan Arpine Hovhannisyan ( hy, Արփինե Աշոտի Հովհաննիսյան; born 4 December 1983) is an Armenian politician, lawyer, former Minister of Justice of Armenia, and former Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia. Hovhannisya ...

, Vahram Baghdasaryan and Andranik Harutyunyan, was submitted for consideration by the National Assembly on 2 October 2018. That evening, the National Assembly convened an extraordinary session and adopted the draft law, according to which a National Assembly session would be considered interrupted if external forces prevented the session from taking place.

Rally on Baghramyan Street

At the rally to demand the dissolution of the assembly, Nikol Pashinyan signed a decree dismissing ministers representing the Prosperous Armenia and ARF-D parties from their posts. By mutual consent, Deputy Prime Minister

Mher Grigoryan Mher Herberti Grigoryan ( hy, Մհեր Հերբերտի Գրիգորյան; born 15 February 1972) is an Armenian politician currently serving as the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia. Biography Education Mher Grigoryan studied law at Moscow ...

of the RPA decided to continue to remain in office. Nikol Pashinyan also announced that the leaders of the two parties would be dismissed from their posts at the next session of government. At the same time, ARF Dashnaktsutyun announced the withdrawal of its ministers from the government. Nikol Pashinyan stated that once the dismissal of PAP and ARF-D members had come into force, he would resign from his post.

References

{{Reflist, 25em

External links

Reuters' reflection on demonstrations

"Liberty" TV , Direct connection , LIVE , Hide The Transaction 02.10.2018
2018 in Armenia Protests in Armenia Nikol Pashinyan Labor disputes in Armenia

Background

Rally on Baghramyan Street

See also

References

External links