On May 18, under the sounds of Armenia ’s anthem the first session of the RA National Assembly of the fifth convocation began.

In accordance with the RA NA Rules of Procedure, before the election of the National Assembly Speaker the elder deputy Knyaz Hasanov conducted the NA sittings.

On the occasion of the opening of the first session the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan welcomed the newly elected parliament and delivered his address: See the full speech:

On the occasion of the opening of the first session of the parliament His Holiness, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch Catholicos of All Armenians welcomed and gave a blessing word: See the full speech:

After welcoming speeches the deputies swore in: “For the sake of realization of national aims and strengthening and prosperity of the motherland – I swear to faithfully perform my obligations assumed before the nation, to preserve the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Armenia, to contribute to the independence and protection of interests of the Republic of Armenia, to do everything for civil solidarity and protection of national and human values.”

Afterwards the deputy Knyaz Hasanov presiding the sitting, informed that in accordance with P aragraph 5 of Article 33 of the RA NA Rules of Procedure, taking as a basis the protocol of RA Central Electoral Commission on Electing National Assembly, as a result of the NA elections, four political forces passed into the parliament: the Republican Party of Armenia, Alliance of Tsarukyan Parties, Alliance of Yelk (Exit) Parties, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF). The deputies' total number is 105. Under the provisions of the relevant article of the RA NA Rules of Procedure law, 4 factions will function in the parliament of the sixth convocation. The one presiding the sitting noted that the RPA and ARF parties signed a coalition memorandum a few days ago, which will be in effect until the end of the authorities of the sixth convocation RA National Assembly. These two political forces assumed political responsibility by the Coalition Memorandum for the whole activities. Under P aragraph 4 of Article 7 of the NA Rules of Procedure, the factions created by the parties signed the Memorandum on the formation of the government (RPA and ARF), will be considered ruling, and the other political forces – opposition.

Afterwards Knyaz Hasanov presented the newly elected deputies and the agenda of the first session:

1. Creation of the Accounting Committee

2. Election of the National Assembly President

3. Elections of the National Assembly Vice Presidents

4. Approval of the creation of the Standing Committees, their number, names and spheres of the activity.

5. Elections of the Chairs of the Standing Committees

6. Issue of approving the Government programme.

Then taking as a basis the parts 1 and 2 of Article 34 of the RA Constitutional law Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the parliament debated the draft decision on Creation of the Accounting Committee of the National Assembly sixth convocation, which later was passed  with 51 for and 8 against votes. Hence, five deputies from the NA RPA Faction (Gagik Melikyan, Rafik Grigoryan, Ruzanna Muradyan, Araik Hovhannisyan and Shirak Torosyan), two deputies from the NA Tsarukyan Faction Arayik Aghababyan and Shake Isayan), one deputy from the NA Yelk Faction (Lena Nazaryan) and one deputy from ARF Faction Suren Manukyan). Gagik Melikyan was elected Chair of the Accounting Committee, and Arayik Aghababyan- Secretary).

The draft proposed by the deputy Nikol Pashinyan on creating Accounting Committee, by which it was proposed to have two deputies from each faction in the Accounting Committee was denied.

Afterwards under Article 136 of the law NA Rules of Procedure, the parliament touched upon the NA President’s election. The NA two factions – the RPA and the Alliance of Yelk Parties nominated candidates for the President of the National Assembly.

On behalf of the RPA Faction the NA deputy Vahram Baghdasaryan proposed Ara Babloyan’s candidacy, characterizing him as a person well-known to the public and a figure with parliamentary serious experience.

Vahram Baghdasaryan thanked the NA former President Galust Sahakyan for the effective work and urged the deputies to vote for Ara Babloyan.

On behalf of Yelk Faction Nikol Pashinyan proposed Edmon Marukyan's candidacy, them presented the candidate's biography and activities.

The NA Speaker’s candidate Ara Babloyan in his speech noted particularly:

“Dear Chair, dear deputies of the National Assembly, I am thankful for nominating me as candidate in the post of the National Assembly Speaker. I express my gratitude to the RA President, for such trust to my Republican colleagues. That trust makes me more responsible in this transitive phase of the development of our country. I realize very well, and I am convinced that the efficiency of the political decision of passing into parliamentary system of government, and its implementation will be conditioned not only by the right choice of the system of government, but also by everybody’s responsibility, hard and consistent work.

Dear colleagues, we listened to the RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s address to the National Assembly and our people, a comprehensive and distinct programme. They were not mere words, but a simple guide in terms of our future works.

As a candidate of the National Assembly Speaker, now I will briefly present the key provisions of my vision.

As we know, the power of the Republic of Armenia belongs to the people, who by their vote formed this National Assembly. Taking as a basis this simple truth, during my tenure I will always be led by a conscience that I am a Speaker of the National Assembly formed by the vote of the public, which will multiply the degree of my responsibility. Based on this conviction I assure you that all my working steps will stem from the interests of our state and people.

My words are more strengthened when we observe the recent elections of the National Assembly. It is a fact for all of us that these elections differed from all other elections with high organization, possible decrease of violations and lack of falsifications. We achieved all this as a result of united work, manifestation of high political will of power and opposition and joint work. I assure you that such examples of joint work will increase. I also assure you that I will do my best to further strengthen the cooperation of power and opposition, which will be aimed at the development and progress of the Republic of Armenia .

The Republic of Armenia is a self-sovereign, democratic, social and legal state. The man is of high value in the Republic of Armenia , thus, my vision, all programmes and actions cannot differ from these principles.

As a Speaker of the National Assembly of a self-sovereign state, I will promote the rule of the state power inside the country, and the full independence in foreign relations.

As a Speaker of the National Assembly of a social state, I consider necessary the elaboration and the implementation of the social policy strategy. I observe necessary the active involvement of the civil society and opposition.

I deem of key importance the provision of the necessary legal field for the business liberalization. In this context I would like to underline that full conditions will be created in the legislative body for the favourable implementation of the programmes aimed at the development of the economy initiated by the government, as well as the private sector.

The whole activity of the legal state is based on the rule of law, and its main goal is based on the protection of human rights. In the new parliament the legislators’ efforts should be aimed at further strengthening of the rule of law and the rise of degree of protection of human rights.

Dear colleagues, as an Armenian, for me there are three key components of strengthening the state: security, health and education.

We are obliged to ensure internal and external security of our country, ensure state power, and strengthen our borders, our army and state. In this context Nation-Army concept is worth of attention. With this regard we are simply obliged to strengthen and develop the defensive capabilities of our armed forces.

Dear colleagues,

the parliamentary diplomacy is one of the important spheres of the activities of the National Assembly. We should more efficiently use our professional, cognitive, human and diplomatic whole potential, the possibilities of cooperation with different countries for protecting our state and national interest on the international platforms. To register successes in this sphere we are obliged to work more actively in a number of international and inter-parliamentary structures, among them, the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), NATO Parliamentary Assembly and a number of other organizations. I propose you to pay special attention to the deputies’ activities at the level of Inter-parliamentary Committees and Friendship Groups.

I consider important our active cooperation with the Diaspora.

Dear parliament, summing up my speech, I express my deepest gratitude to you once again for the trust.”

The NA Speaker’s candidate Edmon Marukyan in his word thanked Yelk Faction for nominating him, touched upon his observations accumulated during his work in the parliament of the previous convocation, his vision regarding the activities of the NA Speaker and highlighted the role of the parliamentary oversight in case of passing into new system of government.

Edmon Marukyan underlined the importance of the development of the parliamentary diplomacy, the activities of the parliamentary groups in the international structures and the importance of their participation in the Assemblies.

The NA Speaker’s candidate from the Yelk Faction noted that any problem concerning the public should be debated in the parliament and not be ignored by the National Assembly.

After their speeches the NA Speaker’s candidates answered the NA deputies’ questions.

Afterwards during the exchange of thoughts the NA deputies Hrayr Tovmasyan, Armen Rustamyan, Artak Zeynalyan, Khosrov Harutyunyan and Artashes Geghamyan expressed their opinions on the activities of the NA Speaker’s candidates.

On behalf of the NA RPA Faction Vahram Baghdasaryan delivered a speech and noted that the Faction proposed as a state, political-public figure of a non-vulnerable candidate in all terms.

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized their candidate’s human rights activities and stated that the NA Speaker can be elected not only from the power, but also from the opposition: the best checks and balances will be to have an opposition NA Speaker.

After the secret ballot the Chair of the NA Accounting Committee Gagik Melikyan presented the results of the voting: 100 deputies out of 105 deputies took part in the voting, no ballot paper was recognized invalid. 88 deputies voted for Ara Babloyan, and 12 deputies voted for Edmon Marukyan.

As a result of voting Ara Babloyan was elected Speaker of the RA NA sixth convocation.

Thanking his colleagues for the trust the RA NA Ara Babloyan has noted that he assumes with responsibility the high post trusted him, promising to conscientiously work for national prosperity.

Afterwards the parliament passed to the next agenda item, the election of the NA Speaker’s three deputies.

First, Vahram Baghdasaryan congratulated Ara Babloyan on being elected NA Speaker and wished him fruitful work, then on behalf of the NA RPA Faction proposed the candidacies of Eduard Sharmazanov and Arpine Hovhannisyan for being elected in the posts of the NA Speaker’s two Deputies.

Vahe Enfiajyan nominated Mikayel Melkumyan’s candidacy on behalf of the NA Tsarukyan Faction.

The candidate for the RA NA Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov congratulated Ara Babloyan for being elected NA Speaker and expressed hope that the NA deputies will register success by his leadership for the benefit of the Republic of Armenia . Mr Sharmazanov expressed his gratitude to the former NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan and the former NA Deputy Speaker Hermine Naghdalyan, as well as his colleagues of the parliament of the fifth convocation for their joint effective work. Eduard Sharmazanov noted that it was a great honour for him to enjoy the RA President’s trust to be nominated in this high post.

“I will work for the sake of the Republic of Armenia, having as a basis exclusively the interest of our state and people,” Eduard Sharmazanov underlined considering an important component of the parliamentary work the solidarity, the dialogue, the disputes, as well as the criticism. The development of the dialogue culture is one of the important priorities for Mr Sharmazanov. In his word, the key factor of his work will be the development and strengthening of the Republic of Armenia -the Republic of Artsakh relations. Noting that during his activities he always paid special attention to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the pro-Armenian solution of the Artsakh problem, the candidate for the NA Deputy Speaker underlined: “From Buenos Aires to Tokyo, from Moscow to Athens, as before, now I am ready to voice everybody’s will that the Republic of Armenia will always go on the path of the development.”

The candidate for the RA NA Deputy Speaker Arpine Hovhannisyan also congratulated the NA newly elected Speaker Ara Babloyan and the deputies for being elected. Noting that it is a great honour for her to return to the parliament, Ms Hovhannisyan thanked the RPA Faction and the Head of the RPA for nominating her candidacy in this high post. To her assessment, the parliament of this convocation has a historic mission: this is a parliament of the founder convocation, and the right of making responsible decisions on the most important items is reserved to the parliament.

“I am sure that except the narrow political agenda of every political force, we have common agenda, which in reality is laying the bases of the implementation of the NA historical mission in decent way and the protection of the RA citizen’s mission. I am convinced that everybody here has that mission,” Ms Hovhannisyan underlined.

Ending her speech, Arpine Hovhannisyan assured that this platform of the negotiations will try to make a platform of cooperation and constructive debates.

The candidate for the RA NA Deputy Speaker Mikayel Melkumyan also congratulated the NA newly elected Speaker Ara Babloyan and thanked Tsarukyan Faction for nominating him in this post, noting that the key factor of his activities will be the promotion of providing regular activities of the NA all spheres. Mr Melkumyan touched upon the peculiarities of the organization of the law-making activities and the statistics of presentation of the bills in the parliament of the previous convocation, opining that he will try to change the quality of the debates with his activity.

“I think that the interest of the state will prevail, and the interest of the party not fully, it will be drawn to backwards,” Mr Melkumyan said.

He expressed hope that the parliamentarians will voice the problems concerning the public during the joint effective work.

Afterwards the Chair of the NA Accounting Committee Gagik Melikyan informed that the voting of the NA Deputy Speakers' election will be held the next day, on May 19, from 10 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.

The National Assembly will continue the work on May 19, at 10 a.m.