Armenian General Staff Chief Onik Gasparyan pledged on Wednesday he would continue service in a different status, after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced his dismissal
YEREVAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th March, 2021) Armenian General Staff Chief Onik Gasparyan pledged on Wednesday he would continue service in a different status, after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced his dismissal.
Earlier in the day, Pashinyan said Gasparyan was considered dismissed starting on March 10, as President Armen Sarkissian failed to sign the draft decree on his resignation and to challenge the decision in the Constitutional Court.
"Both the statement [by Pashinyan] and the entire process of my dismissal as the general staff chief are anti-constitutional. This proves once again that the crisis can only be settled if the prime minister steps down and early parliamentary elections are held," Gasparyan said in a statement, released by general staff spokesman Samvel Asatryan.
Gasparyan announced he had filed an appeal with the Administrative Court in order to ensure the rule of law and the constitution.
"I will continue my service to the motherland and the Armenian people in a different status," Gasparyan continued.
He called on soldiers and officers to continue their "devoted service to the motherland and the people for the sake of developing the armed forces, and strengthening Armenia and Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh Republic]."
