"The president of the republic appealed to the Constitutional Court to determine whether the law 'On military service and the status of servicemen' is consistent with the constitution. The appeal is motivated by problems in the legislative enforcement practices sphere, which were trusted into the spotlight as a result of the prime minister's initiative to dismiss ... Gasparyan, and consequent constitutional and legal processes", the statement read.
"The president hopes that a quick decision [of the Constitutional Court] will provide legal certainty and will contribute to settling the crisis", the statement read on.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said earlier in the day that Gasparyan was considered dismissed starting from 10 March.
"Taking into account the fact that the president of the Republic did not sign the draft decree that was submitted by the prime minister within the timeframe established by the law 'On military service and the status of servicemen' and did not appeal to the Constitutional Court, .... the chief of the general staff of Armenia's armed forces, Onik Gasparyan, is relieved from office starting from March 10 by the force of law", Pashinyan said in a statement, released by the cabinet.
Sarkissian had earlier refused to sign a decree on Gasparyan's dismissal.
A political crisis erupted in Yerevan after the deputy chief of the general staff mocked Pashinyan's controversial comment about the alleged failure of Russian-supplied Iskander missiles during the latest escalation of the decades-long conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. This triggered a series of military dismissals. The armed forces issued a statement demanding the resignation of Pashinyan himself, the prime minister regarded this as an attempted coup and called on his supporters to take to the streets.
