FERMENTATIONS IN ORINATS YERKIR STILL CONTINUE

Noyan Tapan
May 15 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. It became clear on May 15 that one
more MP, Mekhak Mkhitarian (Armavir electoral district N 29) has
put in application on leaving the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law)
Party and the parliamentary faction of the same name. He is already
the 10th MP leaving the faction according to his own application
since May 5 (the faction had 20 members). But it is difficult to
prognosticate today, how many devotees will remain in the faction
finally. One thing is clear, that after officially resigning from
the post of RA NA Speaker, OYP Chairman Artur Baghdasarian will head
the faction. The party has already made a decision about this. The
further actions of OYP members who have assumed state posts within the
framework of coalition agreements are difficult to prognosticate. It
is obvious that part of them, including Vice-Chairman of the party,
Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsian, Minister of Urban
Development Aram Haroutiunian will prefer to retain their posts or
to expect any other state post leaving their own party. The Governor
of Vayots Dzor and according to some non-checked information, the
Governor of Gegharkunik, have already acted this way. In difference
to the above-mentioned persons, Chairman of NA Standing Committee on
Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs, OYP Vice-Chairman Mher
Shahgeldian showed resolution to preserve loyalty to the party and to
the principles of the latter. He will resign from the above-mentioned
post in the future. The position of another OYP member, Chairman of NA
Standing Committee on Social, Healtcare and Nature Protection Issues
Gagik Mkheyan is not clear yet.