RESIGNATION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY KHACHATUR SUKIASIAN CONSIDERED ACCEPTED

Noyan Tapan
Oct 5, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Member of the RA National Assembly
"Heritage" faction Raffi Hovannisian withdrew his resignation in
writing, National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamian said on October 5 –
the first day of a regular four-day session of the National Assembly.

To recap, on September 30 R. Hovannisian had issued a statement, in
which he presented the reasons for withdrawing his resignation. In
particular, it was said in the statement: "Having humbly labored
so many years for the international reaffirmation of the Armenian
Genocide, recognition of the Karabagh Republic, and normalization
of relations with our neighbors without any precondition, I felt
betrayed by the actions of this administration in compromising
these fundamental principles and therefore decided to lay down my
parliamentary mandate in protest. Since that moment, however, I have
been urged by compatriots both in Armenia and in our broad Diaspora
to take up the challenge and use the limited forum that the National
Assembly offers to speak in the name of truth and justice no matter
what the odds".

Another NA member – independent deputy Khachatur Sukiasian did not
withdraw his resignation within the period established by the National
Assembly Rules of Procedure so his resignation is considered accepted
and he has laid down his responsibilities as a member of the National
Assembly.

Non-party man K. Sukiasian was elected member of the National Assembly
in 2007 by the majoritarian electoral system from electoral district
No 10 in Yerevan so there will be a by-election in this electoral
district within 80 days after his resignation.

To recap, on September 7 he issued a statement, which particularly
read: "What happened to me and my fellow deputies due to the principled
stand taken by the NA deputies and their inexplicable vote gives
me grounds to conclude that I no longer have any work to do at this
parliament and I cannot imagine myself in status of NA deputy so I
am laying down my mandate as deputy".

K. Sukiasian is accused in relation to the March 1-2, 2008 events
in Yerevan. On 4 March 2008 the RA National Assembly granted the
Prosecutor General’s petition to allow involving 4 deputies: Khachatur
Sukiasian, Myasnik Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian, and Hakob Hakobian as
accused persons and arresting them. Since then K. Sukiasian was wanted
by the police. On 2 September 2009, he gave himself up to the police,
after which he was arrested and then released on September 4.