Armenian president accepts cabinet’s resignation

YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. On Thursday, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan accepted the Cabinet’s resignation, the government’s press office reports. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, in accordance with the Constitution, submitted the government’s resignation saying that the ministers would perform their duties until a new cabinet is composed. 

Under the Armenian Constitution, the president accepts the cabinet resignation on the day of the first session of a newly elected parliament. 

Taking into account the number of the seats won by parties, the head of state appoints as prime minister a person who enjoys the confidence of the majority of MPs. 

The president appoints the premier in 10 days after the government resignation, and the cabinet is formed in 20 days after appointment of the prime minister. 

In the recent parliamentary elections, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia won an absolute majority, 69 seats in the 131-member National Assembly. It means parliament the speaker, vice-speaker and prime minister’s positions belong to Republicans. 

Prosperous Armenia party, another member of the ruling coalition, was the second biggest vote-gainer in this election – it won 37 seats (28 though party lists and 9 in individual races) in the National Assembly by scoring 30.12% of votes. 

The opposition Armenian National Congress, with 7.08% votes (7 seats) came third. 

Zharangutiun (Heritage) party scored 5.76%, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutiun 5.67% and Orinats Yerkir, the third ruling coalition member, 5.51%. Each of these parties will have five members in the parliament. 

One of Orinats Yerkir party’s members entered the National Assembly in an individual race. 

The Republican Party of Armenia and Orinats Yerkir signed a coalition memorandum, under which the latter takes up three ministerial seats. -0-