YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The presidential institute with new powers is a new culture in Armenia. In such situation it’s very important how it will launch.

Karen Bekaryan, Member of Parliament of Armenia, told a press conference in Armenpress that this launch will later create culture, traditions, will give the political institute its role and significance.

According to him, there are quite extremist opinions on the presidential institute with new powers. On the one hand, there is skepticism on the capacities of the president, and on the other hand, they attribute serious competitiveness qualities. Meanwhile, the reality is in the middle of these two.

“I want to highlight several key points from the speech of the President-elect Armen Sarkissian. One of them is his emphasis according to which the president’s institute will play a significant role on Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity. I think the presidential institute can play a serious role on this unity. But to what extent this opportunity will work, it doesn’t depend only on the personality of the president, but on everyone”, MP Bekaryan said, stating that the public, the civil society should take a lot of actions.

Among the key points from the President-elect’s speech, Bekaryan highlighted the emphasis on emigration, demography, social justice. According to Bekaryan, Armen Sarkissian also highlighted the issue of forming a new political culture.

“In reality, the most important is that how each of us can have a contribution to the complete establishment of that institute”, the MP noted.

In response to the question that the Yelk faction MPs questioned the legitimacy of the election of the president, in particular whether Armen Sarkissian has renounced the UK citizenship or not, MP Bekaryan said he personally saw the note in the Parliament according to which Armen Sarkissian has lived in Armenia in the past six years and is a citizen of Armenia.

Armen Sarkissian was elected as President of Armenia by the Parliament on March 2. 90 lawmakers voted in favor, while 10 voted against his candidacy. He will be sworn into office on April 9 at a special session in the Parliament.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan