ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PRESS SECRETARY CONFIRMS REPORT ON MEETING OF
SPEAKER AND PRESIDENT ON THURSDAY EVENING
Yerevan, May 12. ArmInfo. Press Secretary of Armenian President,
Victor Soghomonyan, confirms the report on the meeting of Armenian
Parliametnary Speaker,Leader of “Orinats Yerkir” party, Arthur
Baghdasaryan and President Robert Kocharyan late in the evening on
Thursday.
After the meeting, Arthur Baghdasaryan convened an extraordinary
session of “OY” party Board. In fact, the party adopted decision on
withdrawal from the ruling political coalition and on resignation of
the speaker. the most probable nominees to the post of the
parliamentary speaker are considered Karen Karapetyan, the head of
deputy group “People’s Deputy,” Vahan Hovhannissyan, Vice Speaker a
member of ARFD Bureau, Tigran Torosyan, Vice Speaker, Vice Chairman of
RPA.
In addition, the party resolved to recall its ministers from the
government: Sergo Yeritsyan, Minister of Education and Science, Aram
Haroutunyan, Town Planning Minister, Gevorg Gevorgyan, Minister of
Culture and Youth Affairs. To recap, 10 big businessman-members of
the “OY” parliamentary faction have recently left the party. The party
representatives connect the developments around the party with a
certain pressure by the ruling circles that are dissatisfied with the
recent harsh statements by Arthur Baghdasaryan as well as with his
criticism of the state property privatization program 2001-2003.