Statement of the President of the Republic about the decision made by the President of the Republic on the proposal to dismiss the Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan

The fact that the President of the Republic returned the draft decree submitted to him with objections is impermissibly manipulated and has received an inadequate response.

In this connection, we emphasize once again that the President of the Republic carries out his functions only through the powers defined by the Constitution, impartially, and makes decisions guided exclusively by state-wide and nation-wide interests.

The President of the Republic does not represent the interests of any political force, whether black, or white, and in that sense, any speculation is impermissible and inadmissible.

The most important mission of the President of the Republic, the Head of the State, is to follow the observance of the Constitution and to use the Presidential institution as a platform to negotiate and to find ways of resolving the situation in the country. The President of the Republic has repeatedly suggested and reaffirms his readiness to unite the political forces around the table of negotiations in order to settle differences and find mutually acceptable solutions.

The President of the Republic returned the draft decree on dismissal of the Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces, Colonel-General Onik Gasparyan, with his objections, exercising his authority defined by Part 2 of Article 139 of the Constitution.

Let us remind you that by its decision CCD 1518 of March 31, 2020, the Constitutional Court decided on constitutionally established grounds (procedure) that one of the discretionary powers, exercised by the President of the Republic, is in the sphere of the Armed Forces, i.e. the alternative authority to appoint and dismiss the highest commanding staff of the Armed Forces, and other troops.

The justifications that the President's objections were not accepted were sent to the Office of the President of the Republic in the evening, on February 28, 2021, and their receipt was registered on the very first subsequent working day - March 1, 2021. The President of the Republic will express his position on the draft decree within the terms established by part 2 of Article 139 of the Constitution and in accordance with legislation.