Armenian parliament votes down opposition motion to dismiss finance minister
The Armenia National Assembly voted down the opposition motion to have Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan consider dismissing Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan at its regular session on Thursday.
Ahead of the vote, Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the Bright Armenia parliamentary faction who initiated the motion, said the minister was to be present at the sitting as the issue referred to him.
“His absence points to his attitude toward the parliament. This is a warning to all the ministers that such a behavor is unacceptable. We insist on the dismissal of Atom Janjughazyan,” the MP said.
Prosperous Armenia faction MP Mikayel Melkumyan said they would back the motion. However, My Step’s Lilit Makunts unveiled her faction’s intention to vote against the initiative.
The motion failed to be adopted in a vote of 41 for, 67 against and 1 abstention.
Marukyan raised the issue of sacking the finance minister at Wednesday’s sitting, being dissatisfied with the answers of the minister to the opposition faction’s questions about the planned downsizing of the government and the resulting layoffs of many civil servants.