NO LEADER OF FACTION IS NEEDED AS LONG AS HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN IS THERE

Lragir
16:05:42 – 23/10/2008

This was the overall impression from Republican MP Rafik Petrosyan’s
speech on the election of leader of the Republican faction, who was
hosted at the Pastark press club on October 23. The point is that
the former leader of the faction Karen Karapetyan was appointed as
head of the president staff three weeks ago, and the post of leader
of the Republican faction has been vacant since then.

The reporters asked Rafik Petrosyan why the election of the faction
leader is postponed, and whether it is determined by the complicated
external situation, and the Republican Party is reluctant to focus on
this minor issue. Rafik Petrosyan said the function of the leader of
the faction is to have the members of parliament come to parliament and
to coordinate nomination affairs. According to Petrosyan, the leader
of the faction has no other functions which affect the activities
of the National Assembly. In this sense, he said after election as
speaker Hovik Abrahamyan performs that function, he has the members
of parliament come, stay and work.

It follows from Rafik Petrosyan’s words that as long as Hovik
Abrahamyan is there, there is no need for leader of faction. However,
Petrosyan says soon the issue of the faction leader will be
solved. According to him, the problem is that the country’s leadership
is busy with the visits of high-ranking guests, and he has had no
time to discuss the issue of the leader of the faction.

According to Rafik Petrosyan, there are two candidates, Galust Sahakyan
and Edward Sharmazanov. Petrosyan says he has learned about it from
the media and talks among the members of parliament but there is no
official decision yet. As to who will be preferred, Petrosyan says on
his behalf only that he endorses both, and the members of the faction
will affirm any nomination of the country’s leadership which is also
the Republican leadership. Rafik Petrosyan says they will affirm
after discussion. But he also says the Republican faction has over 60
members of parliament, and each of them can be leader of the Republican
faction, and whoever the government nominates, the faction will affirm.