Armenian parliament elects heads of standing committees

The seventh National Assembly elected on the final day of its opening session since Monday the 11 chairpersons of its standing committees.

Out of the 132 registered lawmakers, 129 participated in the voting, said Vahagn Hovakimyan, the head of the Counting Committee.

Narek Zeynalyan from the ruling political bloc, My Step, received 112 votes “in favor” to head the Standing Committee on Healthcare and Social Affairs.

A former deputy foreign minister, Ruben Rubinyan (also a member of the governing political force),  will head the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations. His candidacy received suport by 112 lawmakers, with only 16 voting “against”.

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan (My Step), who held a senior government post since June, heading the Ministry of Diaspora, was elected the chairman of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sports (with 108 votes “in favor”).

Naira Zohrabyan of the Prosperous Armenia party was elected the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee's chairperson with 127 votes.

Andranik Kocharyan (My Step), a former minister of defense, received positive votes by 122 MPs to head the the Standing Committee of Defense and Security.

An equal number of votes were cast also in favor of Vladimir Vardanyan (My Step) who will head the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs.

Mikayel Melkumyan, another representative of Prosperous Armenia, was elected the Regional and Eastern Integration Committee’s chairman. His candidacy received backing by 127 MPs.

The Bright Armenia party’s candidate, Mane Tandilyan, was elected the head of the Standing Committtee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs (116 votes).

Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan congratulated all the newly elected committee chairs, wishing them a fruitful work.

The National Assembly had earlier approved the standing committees' number, agreeing to entrust the chairmanship of eight to My Step, two - to Prosperous Armenia and one – to the Bright Armenia party.