Galust Sahakyan, Head of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Faction, candidate for Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, has promised to observe the best traditions in the Parliament if elected Speaker. At the April 28 sitting, Sahakyan said that the matter concerns the new culture of mutual relations, attitude to any proposal, thorough discussions and analysis.      

 In line with the Law On Regulations of the National Assembly, Orinats Yerkir Party (OYP) that has left the ruling coalition has officially announced itself as the opposition party.  

Armenian Parliament rejected the initiative of the four non-coalition forces to set up an ad hoc committee on application of speedometers to privates and legal entities in 2012-2013, as well as launch of paid parking lots, possible rise in public transport fare and penalties for the lack of motor third party liability insurance agreements with the owners of inoperative cars.  Before the voting, Galust Sahakyan, Head of the Republican Party Faction, said the Faction will vote against the initiative. 

Former mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan will be appointed Minister of Energy and Natural Resources replacing Armen Movsisyan, a source in the ruling Republican Party of Armenia told ArmInfo. In addition, Acting Minister of Nature Protection Aram Haroutiunyan is also expected to leave his post. Governor of Ararat region Aramais Grigoryan will replace him.

 ARFD Faction will not participate in voting on nominee for the parliament speaker. Head of the Faction Armen Rustamyan  told reporters it is their compelling stand and they have nothing against Galust Sahakyan, the nominee offered by the Republican Party, Saturday.

 Austrian businessmen representing various sectors of economy are discussing new investment opportunities in Yerevan. The organizers of the ongoing B2B forum on financing of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects are the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Development Bank of Austria (OeEB) and Ameriabank. 

 Since 2009 Ameriabank has provided nearly USD 64 mln for development of small-scale power engineering, Artak Hanesyan, Chairman of the Management Board- General Director of Ameriabank, said at today's B2B forum on financing of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Yerevan. He specified that over the past few years the Bank has financed construction and technical re-equipment of 46 hydropower plants. The Bank has lent USD 3 mln to energy efficiency.    

 "SOS Sevan" initiative organized a picket in front of the Armenian Parliament earlier today, on 28 April. 

New prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan's consultations with the opposition parties and promises to revise the pension reform is nothing but populism, Aram Karapetyan, Leader of New Times opposition party told reporters, Monday.

 The law that forbids cooperation and communication with Armenians will not damage international image of the oil-bearing Azerbaijan, director of the "Region" Research Centre, Laura Bagdasaryan, told Arminfo correspondent. 

HSBC Bank Armenia's trade financing instruments will allow Armenian businessmen to cut their import costs by 1/3, Head of HSBC Bank Armenia's Commercial Banking Department Aram Pinajyan said at a workshop on trade financing on Monday.

Armenia's problem is not the public administration model.  The problem is how Armenia is governed, the Office of the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan says.     

 The Armenian Parliament is facing a legal crisis: all parliamentary forces except for the ruling Republican Party are boycotting the work of the counting commission - as a result, the Republicans are unable to elect the parliament's speaker.

 On April 26 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received the delegation of well-known "Paasikivi" foreign policy society, which consists of Finland's political and public figures, diplomats and experts, the Foreign Ministry reported.

 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan takes a practical view of all the assessments and distinguishes the true concern over the country's destiny from malevolence, Eduard Sharmazanov, Spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), said following today's meeting of the RPA Supreme Council.   

 The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has advanced Head of the RPA Faction, Deputy Chairman of the RPA Galust Sahakyan's nominee for Speaker of the Armenian Parliament. The voting will be held at the Parliament's sitting on April 28, Monday.

The Armenian Defense Ministry and the head of the Ministry are directly responsible for the mental and physical education of the soldiers, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said at today's conference to combat the destructive cults in the army.   

 VTB Bank (Armenia)'s customers having ID cards will from now on enjoy quicker services due to ID card readers.

Encouraging a healthy lifestyle, Ameriabank will organize a biking tour on April 27, at 3 pm. Within the frames of the event, the first bike stands will be launched in Yerevan: 10 big and small bike stands in the center of Yerevan and 8 more bike stands in other communities of the Armenian capital. 

 Armenia's acting Education Minister Armen Ashotyan has started gathering personal belongings in his office.