“The source of such information must be found. I am not aware that there is such an agenda,” said Andranik Kocharian, who heads the National Assembly’s standing committee on defense and security.
Civil Contract faction leader Hayk Konjorian also denied any discussions within the faction about Kocharian’s possible removal from his position as committee head. “There is no such agenda, such a question has never been discussed,” he said.
Reports emerged today that a number of Civil Contract lawmakers were set to raise the issue of removing Kocharian from his position at a meeting of the party’s board that was scheduled for Monday and was to be attended by Pashinian.
A source told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that many within the parliamentary faction, including key members, supported Kocharian’s removal, but the issue still needed to be discussed with the prime minister. The source also indicated that Kocharian was aware of his colleagues’ intentions.
Reasons behind the potential move remain unclearly, as does the likelihood of success for the group of lawmakers seeking Kocharian’s ouster. RFE/RL’s Armenian Service learned from its source that the ultimate decision depends on the prime minister’s position.
Yesterday’s meeting of the Civil Contract party was canceled due to discussions on the 2025 state budget in the National Assembly. It is not yet clear when the meeting is going to take place.