Reviving Armenia party ends activity as part of opposition alliance

The Reviving Armenia party, a member of the opposition Hayastan alliance in the parliament together with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun, is terminating its activities in the National Assembly.

This decision was made by the governing board of the party on November 28, Caliber.Az reports citing ARKA news agency.

Three of the four MPs representing the party- party chairman Vahe Hakobyan, deputy chairmen Hripsime Stambulyan and Elena Kirakosyan – have already filed resignation applications.

Zemfira Mirzoyeva, a member of the party, representing the Assyrian community of Armenia, will continue her activities, suspending her membership in the party.

According to the decision of the party's board, those party members who were on the party's election list for 2021 snap elections are free to decide whether to take up the vacant mandates or not. If they decide to take up the vacant seats, they will have to withdraw from the party's ranks.

The party said this decision was the result of long discussions and a consensus among board members.

"We have repeatedly stated that parliamentary activities and parliamentary seats are not an end in themselves for us. Party representatives have done their best to raise issues inside and outside of the National Assembly and look for ways to resolve critical situations. Nevertheless, today we continue to think that all the grounds which several months ago made us boycott the parliament sittings are still relevant," reads the statement.

Moreover, Hripsime Stambulyan stepped down as an MP of the largest opposition Hayastan faction in the Armenian parliament.

The lawmaker tendered her resignation on November 29, she revealed in a post on Facebook, Caliber.Az reports citing Panorama.

Stambulyan thanked former President Robert Kocharyan, the leader of the Hayastan alliance, and her fellow MPs for joint work, wishing them success in their further parliamentary activity.

"The current situation is incompatible with my approaches to professional activity and responsibility for solving existing problems. In my future activities, I will stay committed to my principles and ideas, regardless of my status. The interests of the country will remain a priority for me in my future career,” the MP wrote.