Mkhitaryan predicts Karapetyan as next Armenian prime minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Lawyer Ruben Mkhitaryan states that Samvel Karapetyan can and will become Armenia’s next prime minister, arguing there are no legal impediments to his candidacy.

Ruben Mkhitaryan, commenting on reactions to Samvel Karapetyan’s nomination as a prime ministerial candidate by the “Strong Armenia” party, said there is no legal obstacle preventing him from holding the post, Aravot reports.

After the party’s February 12 statement presenting Karapetyan as its candidate for prime minister, representatives of what Mkhitaryan described as a “small group” became active on social media, posting statuses and expressing opinions, he noted.

According to him, it appears that to possess legal knowledge it is not necessary to study at a law faculty, complete a master’s degree, attend a bar school and the academy of justice, or be a judicial candidate.

“It turns out one only needs to have a phone, receive an unclear instruction via WhatsApp, and write on Facebook that, you know what, Samvel Karapetyan cannot be a candidate for prime minister. What representatives of this small group are doing on Facebook now is yet another manifestation of lies, falsehood, and manipulation. I assure you of this as a lawyer and attorney with years of experience.

Samvel Karapetyan can and will be the next prime minister of Armenia; there is no legal obstacle. I am confident that we will achieve our goal and have a strong Armenia,” Mkhitaryan said.

Earlier, Narek Karapetyan, coordinator of the “Mer Dzevov” movement, outlined the legal procedures through which Samvel Karapetyan’s nomination for the premiership could be made possible, referring to Article 148 of the Constitution.

“Twenty days after the elections, we will come forward with an appropriate legislative amendment allowing any person holding only Armenian citizenship to become prime minister. At that time, Samvel Karapetyan will hold only Armenian citizenship,” he said.