The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) did not support its opposition colleague

On November 5, when the nominations for the National Assembly Speaker were made in the parliament of the Republic of Armenia and the factions were putting forward their approaches, ARF was the only one that didn’t participate in the consultations, let alone didn’t express its position on the two proposed nominees, Samvel Nikoyan from the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and Larisa Alaverdyan from the Heritage Party.

Today after Samvel Nikoyan was already elected, “Aravot” tried to clarify from Artyusha Shahbazyan, the secretary of the ARF faction whether the faction had had a common position on that issue and how they had elected. “Yes, there was a general, but clear position – free election”, said the ARF representative, in response to “Aravot’s” question. And why ARF didn’t vote for its opposition colleague, the candidate of the Heritage Party, “And did Larisa Alaverdyan want to be elected. I didn’t notice.” Do you mean her speech a day before, “First of all, if they had been our colleagues, they would have informed us that they had such a task. We often consult and clarify on various, small issues. Firstly I don’t think they wished that. Secondly even their whole faction has not voted for her. It means they didn’t have such a task either.”

Let us remind that the Heritage faction has 7 MPs, whereas only 4 MPs voted for Alaverdyan’s candidacy. Raffi Hovhannisian, Zaruhi Postanjyan and that faction MP Vardan Khachatryan who is now a member of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) were not present in the National Assembly.

Nevertheless, if only 4 out of 106 MPs registered for the National Assembly meeting voted for Alaverdyan, assume they were Heritage Party members, it turns out that ARF also voted for Nikoyan’s candidacy. MP Artyusha Shahbazyan responded to this calculation of ours, joking, “Perhaps they voted for Larisa Alaverdyan, I don’t know for sure.” Do you want to say that not all of the MPs that voted for Larisa Alaverdyan were Heritage MPs. “It is possible”, added the ARF MP, joking again.

Naira MAMIKONYAN