YEREVAN. - The issue of including the name of Armenian Prime Minster Karen Karapetyan in the proportional list of deputy candidates of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has not been discussed yet.

Chairman of the Organizational Commission of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Ruben Tadevosyan, who is also a member of the party's executive body, stated the aforementioned to Armenian News – NEWS.am.

Meanwhile the RPA executive body is discussing the issue of including Prime Minister in their list, it is to be noted that the new Constitution already bans this: under Article 48, any person who has attained the age of twenty-five, has held citizenship of only the Republic of Armenia for the preceding four years, has been permanently residing in the Republic for the preceding four years, has the right of suffrage and has command of the Armenian language, may be elected as a Deputy of the National Assembly.

However, Karapetyan held top offices in Gazprom from 2011 to 2016, that is, he didn't permanently reside in Armenia.

The requirement of permanent residence in Armenia for the last four years also relates to the prime minister but this provision will enter into force only starting from 2018. Thus, after the parliamentary elections on April 2, the RPA may nominate Karen Karapetyan to the post of the Government head. If the latter assumes that post then, he will continue his work only till 2018.