Armenia Army Chief slams dismissal as "unconstitutional"March 10, 2021 - 13:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Chief of the Armenian Army General Staff, Colonel-General Onik Gasparyan said Wednesday, March 10 that he has filed an application with the country's Administrative Court, hours after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Gasparyan has been fired by force of law. The decree on Gasparyan's dismissal was first issued on February 25 when the country's top military brass demanded Pashinyan's resignation. And although President Armen Sarkissian did not sign Pashinyan's proposal to sack the Chief of Army Staff, he was relieved of his post nonetheless, as the President did not send the draft decree to the Constitutional Court either, thus paving the way for his dismissal. "My position is unchanged: both the [decree on dismissal] and the entire process are unconstitutional, which proves once again that only the resignation of the Prime Minister and snap parliamentary elections will help overcome the current crisis," Gasparyan said in a statement Wednesday. "I will continue my service to the homeland and the Armenian people in a different status." Gasparyan also urged the army to continue serving the homeland and the people for the development of the Armed Forces and the strengthening of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham). Turkey extends military presence in Azerbaijan The Turkish parliament has adopted a bill submitted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the mandate of Turkish troops. |