Two opposition MPs lost their positions in Armenian Parliament amid 'failure to fulfil obligations'
Armenian opposition MPs have been removed from their positions in Parliament
The Parliament of Armenia removed two opposition MPs from their positions – vice-speaker of the Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Economic affairs. Official justification for their removal was their absence from sessions. Both deputies are members of the opposition “Hayastan” (Armenia) faction.
66 out of 107 deputies of the National Assembly took part in the secret voting and unanimously voted to remove vice-speaker Ishkhan Sagatelyan and chairman of the commission on economic affairs Vahe Akopyan.
The opposition did not participate in the meeting, but held an action in front of the building of the National Assembly. They said here that the authorities, including the legislature, are busy discussing unimportant issues, despite the challenges faced by Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
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“They failed to fulfil their obligations”
The ruling Civil contract faction had been talking about the possibility of removing Ishkhan Sagatelyan and Vahe Akopyan from their positions for several days. Absences were declared as the reason for the termination of their powers.
From August 2021 to today, the Council of the National Assembly held 25 meetings, the opposition vice-speaker only attended 7.
The reporter on this issue, deputy Arusyak Zhulakyan, announced that the vice-speaker did not participate in the meetings of the Council of the National Assembly and the plenary sessions of the parliament, meaning that he “failed to perform his immediate duties”.
“He was absent from 198 out of 342 votes at the meetings of the first half of 2022”, she said.
In this regard, the ruling faction announced its intention to elect a vice-speaker from the opposition “who will properly fulfill their duties”.
The former vice-speaker Ishkhan Sagatelyan is one of the leaders of the “Resistance” movement, which launched a permanent street struggle at the end of April demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The movement was led by both opposition parliamentary factions. Street actions lasted almost two months. At this time, none of the opposition deputies participated in the work of the parliament. Then the opposition announced the changing of tactics of their struggle. The opposition left the streets, they now intend to create regional structures, which will also include Nagorno-Karabakh and the diaspora to the protest movement.
The chairman of the permanent economic commission Vage Hakobyan missed 20 out of 25 meetings of the National Assembly, did not participate in 194 out of 342 votes.
“The National Assembly of the 8th convocation adopted 253 laws, 83 of which were under the jurisdiction of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs. The commission held 27 meetings. Vage Hakopyan did not participate in the preparation and hearing of 11 of them, did not preside over these meetings and did not sign their agendas and minutes. He also did not sign the bills that received the positive conclusion of the commission”, emphasized the speaker on this issue, deputy Tsovinar Vardanyan.
Who can occupy vacant positions?
The opposition has the right to nominate its candidates both for the position of vice-speaker and chairman of the commission. But if the opposition does not exercise its right, the ruling faction can only be given the position of chairman of the commission. According to the current law, one of the vice-speakers must be a representative of the opposition.
According to Ishkhan Sagatelyan, they considered this issue “so secondary” that they have not even discussed it in the faction.
“Of course, we will not nominate a candidate. Moreover, our colleagues will most likely give up other positions. We give them everything, they can do whatever they want”, said the opposition deputy.
The parliamentary majority assures that it does not intend to occupy these positions.
Artur Hovhannisyan, the secretary of the ruling Civil Contract faction stated that if the opposition does not nominate other candidates within the specified time, then they will remain vacant.
“At the stage of the formation of the parliament, it is necessary that all positions be occupied, in the future there is no such requirement either under the constitution or under the regulations of the National Assembly”.
Punishment for the opposition?
Many experts associate the removal of the opposition with political processes and ongoing protests. However, the ruling team assures that the termination of the powers of the opposition representatives has no political background.
According to the secretary of the Civil Contract faction, their goal is to restore the normal course of work of the National Assembly.
“We punish them not for what they do on the street [talking about street protests], we punish them for not fulfilling their duties”, Artur Hovhannisyan emphasized.
The ruling faction is also discussing the issue of depriving opposition deputies of their mandates. Since the beginning of the street struggle, this issue has been repeatedly discussed, but concrete steps have not yet been taken. The other day, the speaker of the parliament told journalists that there are 10 deputies who have more passes than the law allows.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed this topic during his online press conference on June 27. In response to the opposition’s statement that the people gave them a mandate and no one can take it away, Pashinyan said. “The people gave the mandate within the framework of the legislation and constitution of the country. And Armenian legislation and the constitution provide for the procedure of removing a member of the National Assembly from his mandate in case of missing more than half of the votes at one session”.
One of the opposition deputies and leaders of the opposition, the head of the I Have Honor faction, Artur Vanetsyan gave up his mandate immediately after the end of the active phase of the street struggle.
Opposition deputies lost their positions
