The United States calls on the opposition and the current authorities of Armenia to start negotiations on forming a new government under the Constitution taking into account the interests of all citizens of the country. The corresponding statement posted April 28 on the government website, the press-Secretary of the Department of State Heather Nauert.
As a friend of Armenia, the US is closely watching the situation in the country, and hoped that neither protesters nor security services will not resort to force, the statement says.
On 11 April members of the opposition bloc «EFC» lit in flares Parliament, protesting against the appointment to the post of Prime Minister, former President of the country Serzh Sargsyan. April 13 across the country began peaceful protests against the appointment of Sargsyan head of government.
April 16, occurred the first skirmish between civilians and the security forces. The protesters headed by the leader of the «EFC» Nikol Pashinyan tried to break into the National Assembly building to prevent the appointment of Prime Minister Sargsyan. As a result of collision suffered 33 demonstrators, he Pashinyan and 3 police officers.
17 APR Serzh Sargsyan, despite the unrest in the country, took office as Prime Minister. In response, the protesters surrounded the building of the Prosecutor General, Ministry of foreign Affairs and the Committee on public Affairs. On the same day of the protest action, the first called «velvet revolution».
April 18, security forces firmly unblocked the centre of the capital, and dismantled the tent city. April 22, Nikol Pashinian was detained by the police. On 23 April the leader of the opposition were released.
Just a few hours after that Serzh Sargsyan, and after him and the entire government, resigned. The office of Prime Minister passed to the representative of the Republican party — first Vice-Minister Karen Karapetyan.
After 2 weeks of calm, the protests in Armenia resumed — now against the Republicans. The question of the election of a new head of government, the National Assembly of Armenia is planning to discuss at a special meeting on may 1.
