Armenia Prime Minister resigns after violent clashes between anti-government protesters and police

Two officers were killed after armed anti-government protesters stormed a police station in July

Hovik Abrahamyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, announced his resignation on 8 September (AFP/Getty Images)

The Prime Minister of Armenia has announced his resignation following months of protests and clashes at a police station in the country's capital.

Hovik Abrahamyan said he was stepping down to allow Armenian “society and government to unite in their efforts”.

“We need a new beginning,” he added. “That is why I have decided to resign and to give our President an opportunity to form a new government.

“We must think about everyone’s success and give a chance to a new government.”

Rumours of Mr Abrahamyan’s resignation had been circulating since local reports claimed he was to be replaced by Karen Karapetyan, the former mayor of Armenia’s capital and a Gazprom executive, on Wednesday.

President Serge Sarkisian called for a “government of national accord” in August, following months of protests and violence culminating in a stand-off that killed two police officers earlier this year.

Armed men captured the police compound in Yerevan in July, demanding freedom for opposition leader Jirair Sefilian and the removal of Mr Abrahamyan’s government.

The group, nicknamed the Daredevils of Sassoun, held several police officers and medics as hostages before eventually releasing them and surrendering after two weeks.

This year was the fourth summer of mass protests in Yerevan, with demands for regime change overtaking previous issues of electricity bills, pension reform and public transport fare increases.

Human Rights Watch accused police of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators in July, using stun grenades and batons, as well as assaulting journalists.

The government has also faced political challenges, including a flare-up of violence in Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region in April between Armenian-backed separatists and Azeri forces.

Armenia depends heavily on aid and investment from Russia, whose economic downturn has hit exports and much-needed remittances from Armenians working there.

Mr Abrahamyan took office in April 2014 as the leader of the ruling Republican Party.

According to his official biography, he is married with three children and eight grandchildren, and served in the former Soviet Army and worked at a brandy factory before entering politics in the 1990s.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2017, with Mr Sarkisian’s term as President to end the following year.