Outgoing National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan Says He Will Not Take His Mandate

YEREVAN — “I will not take my mandate, I will not come to the National Assembly, and I want to rest,” outgoing National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan said during a press conference at the National Assembly on July 2.

“I wanted to continue my work as speaker of the National Assembly, but there is a party board, and I follow the decision of my party board. I have no resentment. I assume I will be useful to my state somewhere else. I will not take the mandate, I will not come to the National Assembly, and I want to rest. We have not discussed anything regarding the future,” Simonyan said.

Simonyan dismissed as absurd media reports claiming that he had been offered the post of president of the country.

“I have never had such a conversation with anyone. Such a conversation is absurd. I learned from the press that there was talk of an ambassadorial post or the presidency. There has been no such conversation,” Simonyan said.

He added that he will not leave politics and will continue to be politically active. If he receives an offer for any position, he said he will discuss it.

Simonyan also said he believes Ruben Rubinyan is the best candidate to replace him as speaker of the National Assembly.