Secretary of Ruling Party Might be Next Vice-Chair of Armenia’s Parliament

After electing Samvel Nikoyan as the next parliamentary speaker, the National Assembly will elect Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) parliamentary secretary, HHK press spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov as vice-chair of Armenia’s parliament, reports local daily Joghovurd. According to the newspaper, until now, HHK member Hermine Naghdalyan’s candidacy was being discussed, but Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was vehemently opposed to the idea, due to recent scandals associated with her name.

Recall, owners of resold apartments in new buildings on Gevorg Chaush St. joined together to form Norashen 2007 NGO. They argue that the Norashen 2007 consumers’ co-operative resold 14 suites belonging to them (and for which they have paid) to Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP Hermine Naghdalyan and her husband, David Beglaryan. They have complained to head of the RA Presidential Control Service Hovhannes Hovsepyan but, they say, to no avail.

In Joghovurd’s opinion, the final decision on the matter of the parliamentary chair and vice-chair will be made at the HHK Supreme Council meeting on Thursday. Sharmazanov has neither confirmed nor denied the news.

“HHK has not yet discussed the question of the National Assembly chair; this will happen this week, ahead of the start of the next four-day [parliamentary] session,” he said. Asked if he was offered the position would he accept it, Sharmazanov said, “I don’t respond to questions that begin with ‘if’,” reports the paper.