YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Arman Babajanyan from the opposition Lusavor Hayastan (Luminous Armenia) faction is suggesting to have a new procedure whereby nominees for ambassador to any given country will pass a confirmation hearing in parliament.

Speaking to reporters in parliament he said that incumbent Armenian ambassadors that were previously appointed during the Sargsyan administration must also be revised.

In particular, he pointed out the current Armenian ambassadors to Russia and Georgia, both of whom were appointed during the Serzh Sargsyan regime. “I want us to discuss the issue of current ambassadors that continue being in office as result of previous appointments,” he said.

He argues that this is a matter for parliamentary debates within the foreign relations committee.

He emphasized the need for a confirmation hearing for ambassador-designates.

The MP’s remarks come amid an upcoming confirmation vote to install a chairman of the foreign relations committee of parliament. The nominated candidate is Ruben Rubinyan from the ruling My Step faction. Rubinyan is a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan