YEREVAN. – In actual fact, National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov is the President of Armenia as of Monday, Hraparak daily reports.

“If the President [of Armenia] is absent from the country [as Serzh Sargsyan is currently in Poland], his duties are given to the NA speaker. If the NA speaker is absent [from the country], his first deputy becomes acting NA speaker.  

“Even though the NA press service had informed that [NA Speaker] Hovik Abrahamyan will be in Strasbourg [, France,] on [Wednesday,] June 26 and [Thursday, June] 27, Abrahamyan is not in Armenia since Sunday [, June 23].

“According to some information, he first traveled to Moscow, with his wife, and he already was in Paris on Sunday evening. And since there is a three-day festival in Paris, he will enjoy the soul of the [painting] impressionists before heading to Strasbourg,” Hraparak writes.