YEREVAN, May 19. /ARKA/. Armenian National Assembly has elected for the first time three vice speakers, in accordance with the new constitution, Novosti-Armenia reported today. 

It is stated in the new constitution that one of the three vice-speakers must be a representative of the opposition. 

Eduard Sharmazanov from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia was re-elected as vice speaker by 84 votes and Arpine Hovhannisyan, his fellow partisan who just now resigned as justice minister for parliamentary activity, obtained the second vice speaker position by scoring 73 votes. 

Mikael Melkumyan, a member of Tsarukyan bloc, established by Prosperous Armenia Party that once had been a member of the ruling coalition along with the Republican Party of Armenia and now declared itself an opposition political force, was elected the third vice speaker by 65 votes, while the total number of Tsarukyan bloc MPs is 31.     

The ruling Republican Party of Armenia has 58 seats in the National Assembly, Tsarukyan bloc 31 and Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutiun seven. 

YELQ opposition bloc has nine members in the parliament. –0—