YEREVAN. – The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has decided as to who will become National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker, Haykakan Zhamanak daily writes.  

“The NA Speaker’s matter is decided once and for all; it will be former NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan.

And according to our RPA sources, current NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan will become Deputy Speaker. Our Republican sources inform that Nikoyan will stay in the NA chairmanship as a counterbalance to Hovik Abrahamyan. Abrahamyan and Nikoyan have very bad relations.  

In the meantime, according to our RPA sources, Hovik Abrahamyan attempted to make [RPA NA Faction leader] Galust Sahakyan, and not Nikoyan, NA Deputy Speaker. But PM Tigran Sargsyan insisted on Nikoyan’s nomination, whereas Galust Sahakyan, as per the same sources, will continue to head the RPA Faction.      

And serving NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov will probably become the Faction Secretary,” Haykakan Zhamanak writes.