Prime Minister of Armenia 55-year-old Andranik Margarian passed away in Yerevan today, Mediamax reports referring the informed governmental sources. According to the information available, the death was a result of a heart attack. Mediamax reports that the Leader of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Andranik Margarian was appointed a Prime Minister of Armenia in May 2000. He became the first head of the government in the history of Armenia, who for such a long period of time occupied the position of the Prime Minister.
The RPA is considered one of the favorites for the upcoming parliamentary elections of May 12 in Armenia.
Mediamax reminds that Andranik Margarian underwent a heart surgery in autumn 1999.
In October 2001, after the checkup of the heart system of the Prime Minister in Paris, it was suggested that Andranik Margarian underwent urgent medical treatment. As the press service of the Armenian government noted then, ?the French physicians resorted to non-surgical operation to increase the patency of the heart blood vessels of the Prime Minister?.
In November of 2003, Andranik Margarian underwent general medical checkup in Moscow.
In December of 2005 and in June 2006 the Prime Minister visited France to take up current medical checkup.
In February 2006, it was discovered that the Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Margarian suffered from duodenitis, which appeared as a result of cold.
Source: Mediamax news agency, 25 March 2007
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ADDITIONAL READING (from Reuters, 25 March 2007)
– Margarian served as prime minister for nearly seven years and sought to reduce tensions between the government and the opposition.
– A dissident when Armenia was part of the former Soviet Union, Margarian was arrested in 1974 for his political beliefs and sentenced to two years imprisonment.
– He came to power in 2000 after Kocharian sacked Aram Sargsian, the brother of Vazgen Sargsian, a prime minister slain in parliament by gunmen on Oct. 27, 1999.
– Armenia will hold parliamentary elections in 12 May 2007.
– It was unclear who would replace Margarian who was also chairman one of Armenia?s leading parties, the Republican Party.
– Defence Minister Serzh Sargsian, another leader from the Republican Party, cancelled an official visit to China after Margarian?s death.
– Some analysts said Sargsian could be a candidate to replace Margarian.
