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On July 1, the National Assembly convened an extraordinary session on the NA deputies’ initiative, having 2 items on the agenda. The NA draft decision on recalling from office the Vice President of the National Assembly the deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Ishkhan Saghatelyan presented by the Civil Contract Faction was debated. The NA Vice President Ishkhan Saghatelyan is a member of the NA Armenia opposition faction.

The key speaker Arusyak Julhakyan noted that Ishkhan Saghatelyan was elected in that office on August 6, 2021. The Civil Contract Faction voted for his candidacy, respecting the RA citizens’ election. It is designed by the constitutional law the NA Rules of Procedure that one candidate of 3 NA Vice Presidents can be nominated only from the number of the opposition deputies included in the composition of the opposition.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan, from January 17 of 2022 until June 29 including, had 198 absent from 342 voting of the sittings of the first calendar semester of 2022. From the moment of formation until now, the NA Council convened 25 sittings, Ishkhan Saghatelyan was present only in seven of them. That is, Ishkhan Saghatelyan has not fulfilled his direct duties. Because of the Deputy Speaker’s frequent absences, it has become impossible to give assignments and powers by the NA President, as a consequence of which the provisions set by the constitutional law the NA Rules of Procedure also were not carried out.

Arusyak Julhakyan also presented the insulting, as well as hatred seeding expressions sounded by Ishkhan Saghatelyan during the rallies organized by the opposition and cases provoking clashes by him during the marches.

“The NA Vice President Ishkhan Saghatelyan does not perform and does not want to perform the functions reserved to him by the Constitution and other laws as RA NA Vice President. Taking into consideration the abovementioned, the Civil Contract Faction, by the adoption of the NA decision on recalling from office of the NA Vice President Ishkhan Saghatelyan, in future has an aim to elect NA Vice President nominated by the opposition, who will properly fulfill his/her duties, providing the normal activities of the National Assembly,” the rapporteur underlined.

There were no questions, as well as speeches on the NA decision. The NA opposition factions did not take part in the debate. Ishkhan Saghatelyan has not made use of his right to a speech.