YEREVAN.- Armenian President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on Tuesday on appointing Serzh Sargsyan as Prime Minister.

Earlier in the day, Serzh Sargsyan was elected to serve as Prime Minister by Members of Parliament in an open voting. 77 MPs voted in favor of Serzh Sargsyan, with only 17 against.

Armenian lawmakers elected the prime minister for the first time in Armenia’s history after the Constitution was amended and Armenia changed its form of government and handed more powers to the prime minister. Serzh Sargsyan was nominated by the Republican Party of Armenia and ARF Dashnakustyun.