Armenia’s new Parliament convenes on Aug. 2

As Anticipated Nikol Pashinyan Becomes Prime Minister, Cabinet Largely Unchanged

Newly-elected lawmakers took their seats as Armenia’s new parliament convened its inaugural session on Sunday and on Monday elected ruling Civil Contract party member Ruben Rubinyan as its new speaker.

With the contentious elections last month and the government’s continued campaign against the opposition leaders, Monday’s session was marked by bitter accusations between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party members and opposition Armenia and Strong Armenia alliance members.

Rubinyan’s election became a forgone conclusion when the party’s governing board headed by Pashinyan designated him for the post in late June, instead of Alen Simonyan who served in the position during the outgoing parliament.

Rubinyan, who was a deputy parliament speaker, also served as Yerevan’s special envoy in talks to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Opposition lawmakers, who maintain that the June 7 elections were fraudulent, repeated their assertions during Sunday’s session.

“Yes, Mr. Rubinyan, the opposition did not win the June 7 elections … but the incumbent authorities didn’t win either. The June 7 elections were one of the most disgraceful in Armenia’s history,” charged Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a leading member of the Armenia Alliance, who is also the chair of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia.

“This parliament has a very serious problem with its legitimacy, and so does the government formed by this parliament,” Saghatelyan added.

During Monday’s session, the leader of the Armenia Alliance Anna Grigoryan announced that her faction would not take part in the vote to elect a news speaker. Narek Karapetyan the Strong Armenia Alliance, which he leads took part in the vote and across the board opposed Rubinyan’s candidacy.

In his address to parliament, Rubinyan accused the opposition of refusing to “accept the people’s choice,” referring to the majority of the votes his Civil Contract party earned in the elections. However, the party failed to garner a two-thirds majority needed to pass key legislation, among them amendments to the constitution.

Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party now has 64 seats in the 105-member parliament. The Armenia and Strong Armenia alliances hold 12 and 29 seats respectively.

As was anticipated, Pashinyan assumed the prime ministership on Monday, through a widely ceremonial nomination from President Vahagn Khachatryan.

Later on Monday, Khachatryan issued two other decrees reappointing Tigran Khachaturyan and Mher Grigoryan as deputy prime ministers.

Also reappointed to their positions were Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan; Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan; Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Minister David Khudatyan; Defense Minister Suren Papikyan; Environmental Protection Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan; Education, Science, Culture and Sports Minister Zhanna Andreasyan; Internal Affairs Minister Arpine Sargsyan; Foreign Affairs Minister Ararat Mirzoyan; Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan; Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan; and Labor and Social Affairs Minister of Arsen Torosyan.

By another presidential decree, Davit Tadevosyan was appointed High-Tech and Industry Minister. He replaces Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, who currently is a member of parliament with the Civil Contract party.

The major shake up in Pashinyan’s new administration was in his key staff positions. Long-time advisor and chief of staff Arayik Harutyunyan was replaced by another close ally Lilit Makunts, who served as Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States until last year. The prime minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghasaryan was also replaced by Melania Harutyuntyan.

Arayik Harutyunyan and Baghdasaryan will instead become lawmakers representing the Civil Contract Party.

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