Aghvan Vardanyan says he will take parliamentary seat

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hayastan Alliance lawmaker-elect Aghvan Vardanyan has announced that he will accept his seat in Armenia's National Assembly, ending speculation over whether he would take up the mandate.

In a post on Facebook, Vardanyan said some people were eager to see him remain outside parliament but that he had no intention of fulfilling their expectations.

"Calm down. The matter is closed. I have already proved that a parliamentary mandate is of secondary importance to me.

"But this time, whether I would accept or reject the mandate became a major topic of discussion. I chose not to respond. That long pause had a purpose — I wanted to see who was who and what people were really worth.

"Now I can say: I am taking the mandate. I am giving up my previous word so that I do not abandon my duty.

"It turned out that some people very much want me out of parliament. I will not give them that satisfaction. From now on, I intend to satisfy only those who appreciate me.

"Without false modesty, I do not want my absence to create problems for our parliamentary faction.

"A promise matters, but a sense of duty matters even more.

"At this stage, my duty is to stand with the team, especially alongside Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Narek Karapetyan.

"And finally, with or without a mandate, I remain Aghvan Vardanyan. Who are you?" he wrote.

Armenia's Constitutional Court rejected an appeal filed by seven political forces. Under the final election results, the National Assembly seats are allocated as follows: Civil Contract — 64 seats, Strong Armenia — 29 seats, and Hayastan Alliance — 12 seats.