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MP Alen Simonyan to continue serving for seven days as part of resignation-related standard procedure

Armenpress 14:18, 23 May, 2018

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Alen Simonyan, the lawmaker of Yelk faction who replaced Nikol Pashinyan in parliament and subsequently said he is resigning, will continue serving as MP for seven days.

Vice Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov told reporters that this is standard procedure when a lawmaker files for resignation.

“After submitting the application the lawmaker remains an MP for at least seven days, regardless the desire or content of application,” he said, adding that under the Rules of Procedure a lawmaker cannot be immediately relieved from duties in case of filing for resignation.

In terms of Alen Simonyan serving as a member of Yerevan City Council, the Vice Speaker said he can’t comment on that. “I’m not a lawyer”, he said.

Just days after being named Member of Parliament as a replacement when certain seats became vacant in the Armenian parliament as the new government was formed, Alen Simonyan surprisingly resigned. He took part in the May 22 sitting of the parliament and later announced he is quitting as MP.

Now, Ani Khachatryan from the “Republic” Party is believed to be named as replacement for Simonyan.

Simonyan, a City Council member of Yerevan, decided to keep his mandate at the City Hall. Alen Simonyan replaced Nikol Pashinyan in the parliament as the latter was elected Prime Minister on May 8. The replacements are being done through the results of the previous election. i.e Alen Simonyan was the candidate who had garnered the most votes after Nikol Pashinyan in the party list of Yelk in the 4th electoral district.

Now, the next logical replacement for Simonyan would be the next candidate who had the most votes, but – that candidate is Eduard Aghajanyan, the current chief of staff of the PM’s office, and Ani Khachatryan is the next in line. It is noteworthy that Ani Khachatryan had garnered only 409 votes.

ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan

 



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