ARF names replacement for ousted lawmaker

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. ARF lawmaker Armenuhi Kyureghyan will replace ousted Aghvan Vardanyan in the position of ARF faction secretary in the Armenian parliament, ARF faction leader Armen Rustamyan told reporters.

“Aghvan Vardanyan is resigning. However, there is still time until May 10 for this process to have a final solution. We’ve already decided that Armenuhi Kyureghyan will be the ARF faction secretary,” he said.

Rustamyan also weighed in on rumors surrounding Vardanyan’s resignation.

“There are different rumors about this. The first president has become active and is trying to [make a big deal out of this]. If they are talking about the Constitutional right of Members of Parliament – Vardanyan has exercises this very right – he didn’t take part in the voting based on his convictions and resigned guided by conscience. There is nothing anti-constitutional here. And when we are saying that the ARF has its charter and will take steps, we are speaking about our internal charter”, he said.

The ARF (Dashnaktsutyun) party’s Supreme Body of Armenia earlier said it has decided to expel Aghvan Vardanyan from its ranks after examining the disciplinary issue of the MP.

The ARF had endorsed opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan’s candidacy for Prime Minister in the May 1 vote, but in a surprise move MP Vardanyan took the floor and said that he will not take part in the voting. Vardanyan noted that taking into consideration his party’s endorsement of Pashinyan, he is willing to step down if the ARF deems it necessary.

The ARF was quick to respond. It said that Vardanyan’s statement is a personal decision and contradicts the official stance of the party.

“A gross disciplinary violation was committed, which will be subjected to examination. Therefore the ARF is demanding Aghvan Vardanyan to resign as MP”, the statement said.

On May 3, Vardanyan filed for resignation in the parliament but was still a member of the party until the expulsion.

ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan