YEREVAN. - The story on that the new Government places professionalism above party membership is over.

Secretary of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) faction, Aram Manukyan, said the aforementioned in the parliament Monday.

At the recent Congress of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), members of the new government were included in the party, whereas the Law on Political Parties and the RPA Charter specifies that joining the party shall be voluntary and individual, he noted. Thus, one cannot but suppose that the PM and five ministers suddenly and independently from each other became adherents of the RPA ideology. And, of course, the ruling party in no way forced them to do that!

''In the most politicized countries, the members of all parties make up 3-4 percent of the entire population. And you have alone assembled 160,000. These are people, who depend on you by their workplace, income from business and position in the society. What are you proving by this? Do you think the more you recruit, the stronger you will be liked?'' Manukyan stated.