Minister of High-Tech Industry of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan did not confirm on Monday, January 31 that he is the ruling party's candidate for the president's post.

It was reported earlier that the ruling Civil Contract party has decided to nominate Khachaturyan as replacement for Armen Sarkissian who resigned from the position on January 23.

According to Khachaturyan himself, there is no decision of the Speaker of the Parliament, which terminates the powers of the incumbent President.

"It would be ugly if any comments were made today," Khachaturyan told reporters on Monday, adding that Sarkissian still has time to withdraw his resignation.

Asked if he has received an offer from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Khachaturyan replied that "this conversation has not yet taken place." He noted that he stopped be a member of the Armenian National Congress – an opposition party led by first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan – after the 2017 elections.