Arthur Baghdasaryan, RA National Security Council Secretary, Chairman of Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Party (member of coalition) says rumors that he has been forced to change the ministers belonging to his party by a quota, are senseless.

“The only question should be whether the decision was agreed with the President of Armenia or not. Of course, it was agreed, because we are a political team, and it is very important for us to know that our minister candidates meet with the president’s approval,” said Baghdasaryan at a press conference on March 16.

On March 15, Orinats Yerkir recalled two of its three ministers – Gurgen Sargsyan, RA Minister of Transport and Communication, and Mher Shahgeldyan, RA Minister of Emergency Situations, replacing them by non-party members (mostly known as President Serzh Sargsyan’s team representatives) – Manuk Vardanyan, Advisor to the President of Armenia; and Armen Yeritsyan, First Deputy Head of the RA Police adjacent to the Government.

They were accepted to the Orinats Yerkir Party only after the president’s decree on appointing them ministers was published, and this makes many believe that the authorities forced the decision.

“This is obvious, because currently a rearrangement process is taking place; the president is strengthening his team, and the Orinats Yerkir was the weak link, on which he could impose the candidates he wants; it would be more difficult to do the same thing with Prosperous Armenia Party,” political and economic analyst Narine Mkrtchyan told ArmeniaNow.

Meanwhile, Baghdasaryan insists that he has chosen Armen Yeritsyan and Manuk Vardanyan because “we have rather friendly and kindly relations with each other, we have passed a long political path together,” and “we need Shahgeldyan and Sargsyan in the activities within the party.”

“A serious process of inner-party political reforms launched in the party,” Baghdasaryan clarifies. “Shahgeldyan, as he did previousy, will take care of the party’s political-ideological reforms, and Sargsyan, of the economic sector.”

Baghdasaryan, 41, who has been elected NA deputy three times since 1998 is a former NA Speaker, and presidential candidate said he would not run for president in 2013.

“We will participate only in Parliamentary elections, because we have signed a strategic partnership alliance with President Serzh Sargsyan, and we are to implement the planned programs together,” Baghdasaryan says.