Vahagn Khachaturyan, the leading candidate to become Armenia’s next head of state, today said he’ll be “the president of all Armenian citizens” if elected.

Former Armenian President Armen Sarkissian resigned suddenly in January and the country’s parliament has yet to elect his replacement given the opposition’s boycott of the process.

The parliament’s ruling Civil Contract faction has nominated Ministry of High-Tech Industry Vahagn Khachaturyan as its candidate for president.

At a parliamentary discussion today on the matter, Khachaturyan said the institution of the president must be a unifier given Armenia’s numerous challenges.

Khachaturyan, a Sisian native who served as Yerevan mayor (1992-1996) and a Presidential Adviser (1996-1998), was appointed Minister of High-Tech Industry in August 2021.