Seventeen political parties and organizations in Armenia calling for an interim government to replace the administration of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today declared that they are supporting former Prime Minister Vazgen Manukyan to head their proposed new government.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a member of the Supreme Body of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), made the announcement at a press conference today in Yerevan.

Saghatelyan said that the seventeen parties and organizations have decided to create a National Movement for the Salvation of the Homeland, which held a council session today. The first step for the newly formed movement is the removal of the current government.

The ARF official called for snap parliamentary elections.

Asked what the opposition coalition will do if Pashinyan does not voluntarily resign, Saghatelyan only said that Pashinyan must immediately resign because every day he stays in power only adds to the internal divisions within society and creates new security problems.

"A sitting of the National Assembly should be held, where the issue of Nikol Pashinyan's resignation should be discussed. The political majority, under public pressure, must adopt this approach, or else Pashinyan should grasp the situation himself and leave," Saghatelyan said.

The ARF representative reported that a joint statement will be issued on behalf of the opposition parties soon.

Homeland Party head Artur Vanetsyan said that if elected prime minister, Vazgen Manukyan would suspend his party activities, will be a non-partisan prime minister, and will be obliged to hold early parliamentary elections.

Vazgen Manukyan, a member of the 1980s Karabakh Committee, served as Armenia’s first prime minister from August 1990 to November 1991 and acting Minister of Defense from 1992-1993. He heads the National Democratic Union.

The parties involved are: Azatutyun, National Security, National Agenda, National Democratic Union, National Accord, Alliance Progressive Centrist, Prosperous Armenia, Democratic Alternative, Yerkir Tsirani, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Solidarity, Democratic Liberal Union of Armenia, Republican Party of Armenia, Christian-Democratic Union of Armenia, Homeland, One Armenia, and Constitutional Law Union.