Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan says he will not take seat in Armenia’s new p

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has announced that he will not take up his parliamentary mandate and will not serve in the country’s newly elected parliament, which will be constituted following the parliamentary elections held on June 7.

Earlier this week, the governing Civil Contract party’s executive board selected Ruben Rubinyan, the current deputy speaker of parliament, as its nominee for speaker of the new National Assembly following an internal vote. Simonyan and Civil Contract parliamentary faction leader Hayk Konjoryan were also among the candidates.

“I wanted to continue serving as Speaker of the National Assembly because, as the longest-serving speaker in Armenia’s history to complete a full term, I believe my five years of work should have continued. But we have a party and an executive board, and I have always said that I would act in accordance with the board’s decision,” Simonyan told reporters at the National Assembly.

Asked whether he felt disappointed, Simonyan said he did not.

“I believe any working process requires change. I assume I will continue to serve my country and my party in another capacity at some stage. This has been a difficult year professionally. Do not forget that this was a post-war parliament that went through many challenges and difficult circumstances. The work that my colleagues and I carried out was truly demanding. I genuinely want to take some time to rest,” he said, adding that he also wants to put his personal life in order.

“I also want you to miss me for a while, and I don’t want to tire people of seeing me all the time. I have not discussed anything with the prime minister, and there is no agreement in place. I do not see myself participating in political life outside the framework of Civil Contract or without Nikol Pashinyan,” Simonyan added.