Strong Armenia nominees fail committee chair confirmation vote

The Armenian parliament has voted on candidates to chair 12 parliamentary committees, approving all eight nominees from the ruling Civil Contract party and one nominee from the opposition Armenia faction, while rejecting three candidates from the opposition Strong Armenia faction.

The results of the confirmation votes were announced at a plenary session after the vote on Thursday.

Civil Contract’s Trdat Sargsyan was elected chair of the Committee on Regional and Eurasian Integration, receiving 62 votes in favor and 29 against.

Nazeli Baghdasaryan, nominated by Civil Contract to chair the Committee on Labor and Welfare Affairs, received 62 votes in favor and 29 against.

Sisak Gabrielyan, the ruling party’s candidate for chair of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Sports and Diaspora Affairs, received 61 votes in favor and two against.

Sargis Khandanyan, nominated to chair the Committee on Foreign Relations, received 62 votes in favor and 28 against.

Lusine Badalyan, nominated to chair the Committee on Health Care, received 62 votes in favor and 29 against.

Arusyak Julhakyan, nominated to chair the Committee on State and Legal Affairs, received 62 votes in favor and 29 against.

Vilen Gabrielyan, nominated to chair the Committee on Defense and Security, received 62 votes in favor and 10 against.

Babken Tunyan, nominated to chair the Committee on Economic Affairs, received 62 votes in favor and no votes against.

Meanwhile, three candidates nominated by the opposition Strong Armenia faction failed to secure enough votes.

Hayk Farmanyan, nominated to chair the Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs, received 40 votes in favor and 61 against.

Arega Hovsepyan, nominated to chair the Committee on European Integration, received 40 votes in favor and 62 against.

Davit Ghazinyan, nominated to chair the Committee on Territorial Administration and Environmental Protection, received 40 votes in favor and 62 against.

All three nominations were rejected.

Lilit Galstyan, nominated by the opposition Armenia faction to chair the Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, received 54 votes in favor and 47 against, securing the position.