Monday, August 2 2021 11:31

ArmInfo. Today, on August 2, the first session of the newly elected National Assembly of Armenia of the 8th convocation started in Yerevan. The meeting began with a minute of silence in memory of those killed in the 44-day war in Artsakh.

According to the regulations, the first meeting is held by oldest MP  Knyaz  Hasanov, who represents the Civil Contract party.

According to the previously announced agenda, today the MPs will  elect the speaker and three deputy speakers of parliament by secret  ballot. To note, one of deputy speakers must be a representative of  the opposition. Alen Simonyan is the candidate for the post of the  Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia from the "Civil Contract"  party headed by acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, (Deputy  Speaker of the Parliament of the 7th convocation). And Ruben Rubinyan  (Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the  National Assembly) and Hakob Arshakyan (former Minister of High  Technologies) are the candidates for the posts of Deputy Speakers of  the National Assembly.  As a result of discussions with the  candidates for deputy speakers, the board of the Civil Contract party  proposed to nominate Hayk Konjoryan for the position of head of the  faction, and Nazeli Baghdasaryan for the position of secretary of the  faction.

According to the information, opposition factions will come up with a  single candidate. It was reported that the "Armenia" alliance and the  "I Have Honor" bloc came to an agreement on the issue of electing a  deputy speaker. And the name of the candidate will be announced  today.  

The MPs will also elect the counting commission, the standing  committees of the National Assembly and their chairmen. In addition,  the agenda includes discussion of the draft law on changes in the  structure of the government, proposed by the executive body and  approval of the government program.  

Extraordinary parliamentary elections in Armenia were held on June  20. According to the election commission, three political forces  entered parliament: the Civil Contract party - 53.92% (687,251  people), the "Armenia" bloc - 2 1.04% (268,165 people), the "I Have  Honor" bloc - 5.23% ( 66 633 people). The results of the elections in  the Constitutional Court were appealed by four political forces: the  "Armenia" and "I Have Honor" blocs, and the "Zartonk " and the  "Armenian Motherland" parties. On July 17, the Constitutional Court  by its decision upheld the decision of the Central Election  Commission of Armenia on the results of the early parliamentary  elections held on June 20, 2021.  

The parliament of the 8th convocation will have 107 MPs: the "Civil  Contract" party will have 71 mandates, the " Armenia " bloc - 29, the  "I Have Honor" bloc (Republican Party of Armenia and Arthur  Vanetsyan's "Hayrenik" party,  Ed. note) - 7.