YEREVAN. – They say the tearing apart of the “bearskin”—that is, which ministry will be whose, who will have how many, ministers, provincial governors, and deputy ministers, and ultimately, who will hold which post—has already begun even before the confirmation of the results of the forthcoming referendum on constitutional reform in Armenia, reported Irates De Facto newspaper.   

“The tearing apart is not solely within the internal [ruling] Republican [Party of Armenia (RPA)] tandem, but also within the PAP [i.e. the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party]-ARF [i.e. opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun Party] conglomerate. 

“ES [i.e. Education and Science] Minister Armen Ashotyan has appeared under ‘nonstop’ fire. There is an uncompromising battle for his post within both the ARF and the PAP. [But] at the moment, Armenian President and RPA Chairman] Serzh Sargsyan does not say who ultimately will receive this cherished ‘small chair.’

“Moreover, the RPA wants for the ARF and the PAP to become a part of the coalition [government] not after the [aforesaid] referendum [to be held on December 6], but the [next] parliamentary elections [that are slated for 2017],” wrote Irates De Facto.