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MP Ishkhan Saghatelyan from the opposition Armenia bloc was not elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly as a result of the secret ballot on Thursday, falling just one vote short.

The head of the Counting Commission of the National Assembly, Narek Babayan, announced that out of 107 lawmakers, 104 took part in the vote and 1 ballot was declared invalid. 53 MPs voted in favor, while 50 others voted against his candidacy.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan needed 54 votes to be elected deputy parliament speaker.

After the announcement of the voting results, the head of the Armenia bloc’s parliamentary faction, Seyran Ohanyan, said that Saghatelyan's candidacy would be nominated again.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan said in turn that he had nothing to add, reaffirming his previous two statements.

MP Vahagn Aleksanyan from the ruling Civil Contract Party tried to attribute the non-election of the third deputy speaker to the absence of Armenia bloc MP Davit Sedrakyan, since Saghatelyan fell just one vote short to be elected.

Saghatelyan said in turn that the ruling faction knew about the absence of the deputy, since before the vote it was announced that Sedrakyan was abroad.