OPPOSITION WILL HAVE 25-30 MANDATES AT NEW PARLIAMENT AND RPA AT LEAST
WILL KEEP ITS CURRENT SEATS, GALUST SAHAKIAN FORECASTS

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. "What we have I think is already
stable, but as regards having more, we just strive for it," Galust
Sahakian, Head of RPA parliamentary faction, said at the March 2
briefing in connection with RPA’s expected mandates as a result of the
forthcoming parliamentary elections. In his words, the RPA faction has
40 members at NA of current convocation, but the total number of RPA
deputies is 56. G. Sahakian said that the party has decided to
nominate candidates by majoritarian system at 27 out of 41 electoral
districts for the May 12 parliamentary elections. He said that there
are also some RPA members who have been nominated on civil
initiative. In particular, Hakob Hakobian, member of NA People’s
Deputy MP group, RPA member, has nominated his candidature at
electoral district N 19 and the party does not support his
candidature. At this electoral district RPA supports the candidature
of retired high-ranking serviceman, non-partisan Seyran Saroyan. As
regards RPA’s proportional list, in G. Sahakian’s words, not all
members of party’s political team have been included in that list,
including state servants, governors, all Yerevan prefects without
exception. However, in his words, this does not mean that "they will
not continue to bear responsibility." As the head of the RPA faction
forecast, the opposition will have 25-30 mandates at the future
parliament. In G. Sahakian’s words, judging by sociological analyses,
the newly formed Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) Party for the
first time having submitted application for participation in the
parliamentary elections will be represented "properly."