YEREVAN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Newly-elected Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said on Monday that he would resign from his post following days of street protests against him.
"In the current situation, there are several solutions, but I won't choose any of them," Sargsyan announced the surprise move in a statement released on the official website, referring to the large-scale anti-government protests mainly in the capital city Yerevan.
Protests led by Armenian opposition MP and leader of Civil Contract Party Nikol Pashinyan were held before Sargsyan took up office on April 17. They accused the 63-year-old former president of clinging to power.
"Nikol Pashinyan was right. I was wrong," he said, adding that "I am leaving the position of the head of state, and the post of Prime Minister of Armenia."
Sargsyan said he met with the leader of protests on Sunday, adding that he decided to fulfill the demands of the street movement that has lasted over 10 days.
Pashinyan was detained along with other fellow MPs after Sunday's unsuccessful negotiation with Sargsyan due to holding "an illegal protest march," according to a police statement on Sunday.
They were released shortly before Sargsyan's resignation announcement.
Under a revised constitution approved in a referendum in December 2015,the South Caucasus nation was turned into a parliamentary republic, with most of the executive powers shifted to the prime minister and the presidency assuming a largely ceremonial role.
The amendment move was seen by some critics as an attempt by Sargsyan to stay in power. They asked Sargsyan to keep his promise not to extend his power after his time as president ended. Sargsyan served as president of the ex-Soviet country for 10 years.
In the biggest political crisis in a decade, tens of thousands of protesters have marched through Yerevan, disrupting public transportation and blocking major roads.
