Kocharyan weighs in on Army Staff "outcry" amid Armenia crisis

Kocharyan weighs in on Army Staff

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Army General Staff's demand for the resignation of the Armenian government was an "outcry" that the authorities were hindering the strengthening and restoration of the Armed Forces at a systemic level, second President Robert Kocharyan told a press conference with Russian media on Thursday, March 4, Sputnik Armenia reports.

According to him, after the story with Iskander missiles, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan should have apologized to the General Staff and personally to Lieutenant General Tiran Khachatryan, but instead he fired him.

Armenia is facing a serious political crisis after the country's top military brass demanded Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation. The PM, claimed, however, that he had already dismissed the chief of the Army General Staff Onik Hasparyan and his deputy, Khachatryan. On March 2, President Sarkissian decided to not sign the draft decree on Gasparyan's dismissal, but file an application with the Constitutional Court to determine whether the law "On Military Service and Status of Military Servant" from November 15, 2017 complies with the Armenian Constitution. The General Staff said Wednesday Gasparyan will hold his post until the application filed by the President is being processed by the Constitutional Court within eight days.

Commenting on the defeat in Azerbaijan's war against Nagorno-Karabakh, Kocharyan noted that one reason was the constant attacks on the army.

"Authorities must be predictable and understandable. The situation with the General Staff testifies to the disappointing situation in the country," he said.

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