Armenia: President Armen Sarkissian resigns

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Politician Armen Sarkissyan during Armenia's 2018 »Velvet Revolution« in the capital Yerevan

Photo: Karo Sahakyan/ dpa

Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian surprisingly announced his resignation.

After much deliberation, he decided to resign as President of the Republic after about four years, according to a statement published by the 68-year-old Presidential Office: "This is absolutely not an emotional decision, but corresponds to a certain logic".

In the post of head of state, who has a largely symbolic role in Armenia, Sarkissian "does not have the necessary instruments to influence the fundamental processes of domestic and foreign policy in the difficult time for the country," said the politician.

More than ever, the country needs “sensible, well thought-out and balanced measures”.

He campaigned for constitutional reform so that the next president could work in a “balanced environment”.

Disagreements in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

The President had criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, especially in the course of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

In the fall of 2020, the two countries fought fiercely for weeks, killing more than 6,500 people.

The fighting ended in November 2020 with a ceasefire agreement.

Since then, however, there have been isolated skirmishes with fatalities and injuries.

After six weeks of fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, according to the ceasefire agreement, Armenia had to cede large areas to Azerbaijan, which it had controlled for decades.

Many Armenians see this as a national humiliation.

At the time, Sarkissian criticized the fact that he had not been included in the negotiations.

He later expressed objections to Pashinyan's reappointment of the Armenian military leadership.

During his political career from 1969 to 1997, Sarkissian was also Prime Minister of Armenia.

The president went on to explain the reasons for his resignation: "In these difficult times for our state, when national unity is required, the institution of the president should not become the subject of gossip and conspiracy theories." It is not yet known who will succeed Sarkissyan .

atb/dpa/AFP