Tigran Sarkisian is likely to be reappointed as prime minister and head Armenia’s new government that will be formed later this month, a leading member of the ruling Republican Party (HHK) said on Friday.
Sarkisian and all members of his cabinet submitted their resignations to President Serzh Sarkisian as the new Armenian parliament elected on May 6 held its opening session on Thursday. Under the Armenian constitution, the head of state has ten days to appoint a new prime minister. The new government is to be formed within the following 20 days.
“I don’t think that there will be a change of prime minister,” Galust Sahakian, a deputy chairman of the HHK, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). He said most of the outgoing ministers affiliated with the HHK will also likely retain their posts.
Sahakian also revealed that President Sarkisian will begin on Saturday consultations with senior lawmakers from the HHK and the Orinats Yerkir Party, its junior partner in the new ruling coalition, on the government’s composition. “Tomorrow the issue will be discussed with the political majority [in the parliament] and it will become clear which portfolios will go to Orinats Yerkir and which ones to the Republican Party,” he said.
The two parties signed a new power-sharing deal earlier this week. Orinats Yerkir is expected to retain control of three ministerial portfolios.
The party’s deputy chairwoman, Heghine Bisharian, said two of the acting cabinet members representing Orinats Yerkir, Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetian and Emergency Situations Minister Armen Yeritsian, may well keep their jobs.
Sahakian confirmed that the HHK will get the bulk of the four ministerial posts that have been controlled until now by the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), the third partner in the outgoing coalition. The BHK decided to pull out of the government after finishing second in last month’s parliamentary elections.
Sarkisian and all members of his cabinet submitted their resignations to President Serzh Sarkisian as the new Armenian parliament elected on May 6 held its opening session on Thursday. Under the Armenian constitution, the head of state has ten days to appoint a new prime minister. The new government is to be formed within the following 20 days.
“I don’t think that there will be a change of prime minister,” Galust Sahakian, a deputy chairman of the HHK, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). He said most of the outgoing ministers affiliated with the HHK will also likely retain their posts.
Sahakian also revealed that President Sarkisian will begin on Saturday consultations with senior lawmakers from the HHK and the Orinats Yerkir Party, its junior partner in the new ruling coalition, on the government’s composition. “Tomorrow the issue will be discussed with the political majority [in the parliament] and it will become clear which portfolios will go to Orinats Yerkir and which ones to the Republican Party,” he said.
The two parties signed a new power-sharing deal earlier this week. Orinats Yerkir is expected to retain control of three ministerial portfolios.
The party’s deputy chairwoman, Heghine Bisharian, said two of the acting cabinet members representing Orinats Yerkir, Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetian and Emergency Situations Minister Armen Yeritsian, may well keep their jobs.
Sahakian confirmed that the HHK will get the bulk of the four ministerial posts that have been controlled until now by the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), the third partner in the outgoing coalition. The BHK decided to pull out of the government after finishing second in last month’s parliamentary elections.