President Armen Sarkissian has invited Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the leaders of the country's opposition over for a meeting on March 13, amid a growing political crisis.

Sarkissian issued a statement Wednesday, March 10, maintaining that the situation can lead to unpredictable and irreversible consequences for the state and Armenia's statehood.

"There are many problems, their solution requires urgent systemic changes, including constitutional and legislative ones," Sarkissian said.

"Both the government and the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political forces have repeatedly expressed their positions. However, there is a lack of mutual understanding and a desire to meet each other halfway. Moreover, calls for intolerance have become more frequent."

The President repeated that his only goal is to keep the country away from shocks, to prevent a situation that could lead to unpredictable consequences.

That is why, he said, he is inviting the Prime Minister, the leaders of parliamentary blocs, and those of a coalition of 17 opposition parties dubbed the Homeland Salvation Movement, over to the presidential palace, to discuss the situation and find mutually acceptable solutions to overcome the crisis.