While Jirair Sefilyan can’t register as a member of the newly formed Sasna Dzrer political party because he doesn’t have Armenian citizenship, the Lebanese-born Artsakh War vet and longtime government opponent told reporters today at the party’s founding convention that he’s reapplied for citizenship on August 1 and is sure it’s just a matter of time before receiving it.

Sefilyan said that the Nikol Pashinyan government will surely grant him citizenship

Sefilyan said Armenia must hold snap parliamentary elections as soon as possible, even going so far as to call for the dissolution of the current parliament today.

“I don’t think the country would lose anything without having a parliament for four of five months,” Sefilyan said, adding that the new National Assembly would have none of the political forces of the past.

When this reporter asked if the party would again resort to radical steps, as it did in July 2016 when it seized a Yerevan police building by force of arms, Sefilyan responded by asking a question of his own. “So, when you see us you always picture extreme steps? What must we do to dissuade you of such ideas?”

Varuzhan Avetisyan, a Sasna Dzrer member who participated in the July 2016 police building seizure, and who has been nominated as party president, said Sasna Dzrer would support the government of Nikol Pashinyan at least until the formation of the new parliament.

“Afterwards, when the classic political party competition starts, we will decide how to proceed,” Avetisyan said.

Avetisyan said it is too early to predict what political forces Sasna Dzrer might cooperate with to help achieve the objectives of the new national strategy that Sasna Dzrer envisions for the future.

Nevertheless, Avetisyan said Sasna Dzrer would be represented in the new parliament.