YEREVAN–Head of the ARF Parliamentary Bloc Hrair Karapetian was overwhelmingly elected to the post of Deputy-Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly on Tuesday.
101 Parliamentarians participated in the secret ballot , which awarded Karapetian the post with a vote of 97 to 1. Only 2 ballots were considered invalid.
Following the announcement of the vote, Karapetyan thanked his colleagues for the trust they placed in him and explained that he would make every effort to work for the benefit the Motherland through the National Assembly.
Biography of Hrair Karapetian:
He was born on August 11, 1963 in Yerevan.
In 1980 he finished Yerevan secondary school #135.
1980-1981 he was a worker at Yerevan Lamp Factory.
In 1985 he studied and graduated from the Yerevan Khachatour Abovian Armenian State Pedagogical Institute, later he continued his postgraduate studies. He defended his thesis on the theme "The Problem of the Learners’ Civil Upbringing in the System of National Education."
He holds a doctorate in pedagogical sciences, and a author of a number of scientific manuals and works.
1985-1990 he worked at school in the village of Nor Geghi, and later at Yerevan # 181 school as a teacher.
1985-1987 he joined Zangakatun organization.
1987-1989 he was a member of Unity organization, editor of Zangakatun periodical.
In 1989 he joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
1990-1995 he was elected a member of the ARF Central Committee of Armenia.
1990-1992 he participated in the organization of self-defense battles of Getashen, Shahumian, Berdadzor, Mardakert with Tatul Krpeyan, Shahen Mgheryan and other freedom fighters.
1996-1998 he was elected a member of the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia.
1998-2003 – governor of RA Aragatsotn marz.
2003-2007 – NA deputy (proportional list, ARF). He was head of ARF faction of the National Assembly.
On May 12, 2007 he was elected a deputy of the National Assembly by the proportional electoral system. He ran as a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and until his election as Deputy Speaker has been the head of the Armenian Revolutionary Faction.
He is the author of dozens of laws and legislative initiatives.
As head of the Parliamentary Group on the Protection of the Consumers’ Interests, he made queries and statemen’s on tariffs on gas, water, telecommunication and power concerning the protection of the consumers’ interests in the National Assembly.
He has been awarded medals and orders by the Armenian Defense Minister, Armenian Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation.
He is married and has three children.
