YEREVAN. – After Tuesday’s session of the ruling coalition’s Republican Party of Armenia’s (RPA), National Assembly (NA) Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan responded to the questions of Haykakan Zhamanak daily, and the following is an excerpt:  

Is it true that you have written a letter of resignation?

I have made an announcement. Yes, the Party has made a decision, [it] proposed to me [the position of the] head of campaign headquarters, and I suggested that I leave the office of NA Speaker and work on forming the campaign headquarters.   

Who will replace you [as NA Speaker]?

Such matter was not discussed because this is a process, [and] it will continue until the end of the month. We have a session on [November] 14, I will submit my resignation on [November] 14, and probably by [November] 20, pursuant to the Regulation…   

Is it true that [former Yerevan Mayor] Gagik Beglaryan will be appointed Deputy PM?

No such issue was discussed. I honestly tell you, we only discussed this one issue.

“To note, pursuant to current legislation, there is no prohibition against NA Speaker simultaneously heading campaign headquarters. He [Hovik Abrahamyan] had been the head of campaign headquarters, before, but he never resigned from his office; he did not even go on vacation at that time,” Haykakan Zhamanak writes.