Why the CP Chose an Opposition Candidate for the Competition Protection Commission

The former chairman of the Civil Service Council, Manvel Badalyan, nominated as a member of the Competition Protection Commission by opposition groups in the National Assembly, met with CP parliamentarians before his election to the position. This is reported by the newspaper "Hayrapet".

Earlier, the National Assembly elected Manvel Badalyan as a member of the Competition Protection Commission through a closed and secret ballot. He was the unified, agreed candidate of the opposition factions "I Have Honor" and "Armenia". According to the newspaper, Badalyan met with ruling party parliamentarians because the opposition's votes were not sufficient for his election.

According to media reports, the closed meeting with the CP took place in a rather dramatic atmosphere; however, the government decided this time to choose an opposition candidate who behaved "well" during the meeting. The CP members, led by Arpi Davoyan, questioned Badalyan about his previous anti-government and anti-Pashinyan statements, asking how someone with such views could maintain an impartial position in the Competition Protection Commission. Badalyan promised to remain politically neutral after his election, as reported by "Hayrapet".

During his speech at the National Assembly's plenary session, Badalyan made several remarks about some previous "virtues." During his speech, two of Serzh Sargsyan's team members, Hayk Mamijanyan and Anna Mkrtchyan, demonstratively left the hall and did not participate in the election of the candidate they themselves nominated.

It should be noted that on September 12, 2023, the National Assembly did not elect another candidate, Anahit Sargsyan, for the position of member of the Competition Commission nominated by the opposition "Armenia" and "I Have Honor" factions through a closed and secret ballot. The ruling "Civil Contract" faction did not participate in the vote.