YEREVAN (RFE/RL, Armenpress) — Armen Sarkisian was sworn in as president of Armenia amid speculation that outgoing President Serzh Sargsyan will become prime minister, a post that is now more powerful than the presidency due to constitutional reforms.
Armen Sarkisian, who is not related to the outgoing president, was inaugurated in a ceremony at the Karen Demirchian Sports and Concert Hall on April 9.
The 64-year-old Sarkisian, a former ambassador to Britain, was elected to a seven-year term by lawmakers on March 2.
Opposition leaders have accused Serzh Sarkisian, who was first elected in 2008 and held office for two terms, of seeking the prime minister’s job to allow him to retain power.
Parliament is scheduled to elect a prime minister on April 17.
Under a shift that was approved in a December 2015 referendum, Armenia changed its form of government from semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic.