STEPANAKERT (RFE/RL)–Armenian Revolutionary Federation Nagorno-Karabakh Republic parliamentary bloc members boycotted the election of Speaker Oleg Yesayan last week in protest against the decision to elect the speaker in an open vote.
Karabakh parliament members Monday–elected a deputy speaker and chairmen of the six permanent parliamentary commissions.
The ARF–which is now the second largest faction in Karabakh Parliament after the pro-government ruling faction Democratic Artsakh Union–agreed to participate in the voting after ruling party changed the electoral procedure–making it a secret ballot.
Speaking by phone from Stepanakert–ARF parliament deputy Alyosha Gabrielian told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that there was only one candidate on the ballot for the post of a deputy speaker. According to the regulation–the Speaker of the Parliament nominates his candidates. The newly elected speaker Oleg Yesayan decided to nominate only one candidate–and Mushegh Ohanjanian–a member of ruling Democratic Artsakh Union–was duly elected to that post.
The ARF was given control of two parliamentary commissions–including the chairmanship of the parliamentary commission on defense and security issues. Vahram Atanessian–the former RFE/RL Armenian Service correspondent in Stepanakert who was elected a parliament deputy–was elected chairman of the Parliamentary commission on foreign relations. .