YEREVAN. – The secret ballot for the new Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia got underway at the parliament on Tuesday at 12:30pm, and it will continue until 1:30pm.

The candidates running for the position are Galust Sahakyan from the ruling Republican Party NA Faction, and self-nominated opposition MP Hrant Bagratyan.  

Before the start of the voting, however, Sukias Avetisyan, Chairman of the NA Committee on Counting, presented to the voting procedure.  

The opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Armenian National Congress Factions have announced that they will not participate in the voting. 

The non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia and the opposition Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) and Heritage Factions, on the other hand, have not yet publicized their final position on this matter.