YEREVAN. – The opposition Prosperous Armenia Party National Assembly (PAP NA) Faction will convene a meeting, either late this week or early next week, and elect the faction head and secretary, PAP Chairperson Naira Zohrabyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

And in connection with the media reports that the MPs who have quit the PAP may form an NA group, Zohrabyan noted: “This was possible several years ago. But, now, there is the Constitutional Court decision that if an MP who is elected with the proportional [election system] leaves the faction, he needs to give up his [parliamentary] mandate.

“To form a [parliamentary] group, you need ten MPs who must be either in the top three of the proportional list, or those elected with the majority [election system]; [but] there is no and cannot be such a situation. The PAP does not have that many MPs who are elected with the majority. [So,] they can’t form a [parliamentary] group even in the case of the greatest wish.”

As reported earlier, speaking at the February 12 meeting of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Board, President Serzh Sargsyan, who is also chairman of the RPA Board, had stated that then-PAP Chairman, MP and oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan had become a vice for the country as a political player. He also relieved the PAP leader from his status as a National Security Council member, and promised that a process will begin in connection with Tsarukyan’s frequent absence from the parliament sessions.

In response to President Sargsyan’s remarks, Gagik Tsarukyan issued a statement, on February 13, noting that the incumbent authorities must be removed from power immediately. In addition, he urged to achieve Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation by way of lawful political methods.

On February 17, however, Serzh Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan held a brokered talk, and on the next day, the then-PAP leader issued a milder statement. He also called off the rally that was slated for February 20.

And on March 5, Tsarukyan announced that he is quitting active politics, PAP National Assembly Faction Secretary Naira Zohrabyan was elected new leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, and she declared the latter—which had been a non-pro-government force—an opposition party. Subsequently, however, numerous members have started quitting the party.