YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The NA [(National Assembly)] session starting on January 17 promises to be heated.

The thing is that in those days there will be four elections at once: the Human Rights Defender [(HRD)], the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, and two members of the CTR [(Commission on TV and Radio)]. Let us note that the authorities are concerned especially about the election of the Human Rights Defender, whose candidate is [Deputy Minister of Justice] Kristine Grigoryan.

Let us note that, according to the Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, voting on all persons, including the RA Human Rights Defender, is elected by secret ballot with at least three-fifths of the total number of votes of the MPs.

In the parliament that has 107 MPs, that number makes up 64; and this is what worries the authorities, as the number of [ruling majority] CC [“Civil Contract” Faction] MPs in the parliament is 71. That is, in case of having many absences [in the legislature], the election of the HRD may simply fail. And that is the reason why all the [CC] MPs have already been warned to be careful in those days and not to be absent from the [NA] sessions.