Armenpress

PARLIAMENT CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS WHY HE RESIGNS

YEREVAN, MAY 12, ARMENPRESS: Parliament chairman
Arthur Baghdasarian who said he will resign and who
has pulled out his Orinats Yerkir from the governing
coalition, told a news conference today his party will
be in opposition to the authorities but he said they
would go their own path.
Baghdasarian described his decision to resign,
prompted in all likelihood by mass exodus of
businessmen-lawmakers from his party, as ‘a moral
decision,” saying all members of his party who hold
government positions must follow his example. He said
it was the decision of the party’s governing board.
“Anyone who will try to retain his post will be
expelled form the party,’ Baghdasarian said.
Baghdasarian explained his resignation by a set of
‘very serious’ disagreements between his party and the
other two members of the governing coalition-the
Republican party of prime minister Margarian and the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
“After protracted debates over whether we should
remain in the coalition or quit it we decided in favor
of the second,’ he said. Baghdasarian divided the
disagreements into three groups- political or
social-economic, democracy reforms and foreign policy
priorities. Baghdasarian said his party would continue
to advocate what he described as ‘decentralization of
power and businesses,” saying also consistent efforts
to seek closer integration with Europe, including
building up closer ties with NATO, must become a
foreign policy priority.
Baghdasarian, however, added that this policy line
should not affect Armenia’s friendly relations with
Russia and denied rumors that pulling out from
coalition was part of an engineered scheme to divert
attention from the Karabakh conflict. “In my opinion
talks over the Karabakh conflict are very
constructive. I think Armenia’s position is very
constructive,” he said.