First Secretary of Vardana
| First Secretary of the Directory | |
|---|---|
| Առաջին քարտուղար | |
 Cockade of Vardana | |
| Directory of Vardana | |
| Style | His Excellency (international correspondence) |
| Status | Presiding officer |
| Member of | |
| Appointer | The Directory |
| Term length | one year, renewable |
| Inaugural holder | Zoravar Davtyan |
| Formation | 17 August 1987 |
The First Secretary of Vardana, more formally the First Secretary of the Directory or First Secretary of State, is the presiding officer of the Directory, and undertakes representative duties typically associated with a single head of state.
Upon its establishment in 1992, the First Secretary has always been elected by the Directory from among its members. Functionally, the First Secretary holds a number of powers typically associated with a traditional head of state, and is the de facto commander in chief of the armed forces. The First Secretary appoints at least one deputy, who leads the Directory or assumes other duties in the First Secretary's absence.
The First Secretary is an extraconstitutional office and originally intended to be the title held by the most senior member of the Directory. Due to its extraconstitutional status, the legal standing of the office has been debated among constitutional scholars and lawyers in Vardana. The constitution does not provide for a presiding officer of the directory and instead relies on all directors to undertake functions of the head of state and government collectively. Some constitutional scholars have noted that the creation of the First Secretary could be explained through the Directory's exclusive power to appoint other officers or fill vacancies. However, others still widely criticize this view and have called for the position to be abolished or officially created in a constitutional amendment to limit its potential powers and influence over the Directory as a whole.
Powers and duties
Domestic affairs
Chief of the First Secretary's duties is serve as the presiding officer and primus inter pares of the Directory.
As Vardana is a directorial republic, it has no single head of state and the Directory serves as the collective head of state. To offset the potentially impractical nature of multiple heads of state, the Directory grants the First Secretary substantial power, such as day-to-day governing. The First Secretary sets the guidelines and instructs cabinet ministers, recommends dissolution of the National Convention to call for new elections. These are technically powers of any member of the Directory, but as leader of the largest or controlling party of the Directory, the First Secretary wields
Foreign affairs
The First Secretary is responsible for determining the country's foreign policy, and foreign affairs. As primus inter pares of the Directory, the First Secretary is the chief representative of Vardana internationally, and represents the country in international relations, negotiations and signs ratification documents. Ambassadorial appointments to foreign countries and international organizations are made by the Directory, though the First Secretary often proposes candidates to the Directory.
The First Secretary also serves as the functional commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Vardana.
Ceremonial duties
The First Secretary is integral in issuing state awards. Typically, state awards are given for military, economics, art, education, or other civil achievements. Hero of the Republic of Vardana is the highest honor awarded by Vardana, but the Directory may establish other awards as it sees fit.
Selection process
Eligibility
To serve as First Secretary, one must first be eligible to serve on the Directory. Those requirements are:
- be a citizen of Vardana
- be at least 30 years old
- be a resident for the last 10 years
- not be married to a non-citizen spouse
Election
First Secretary elections are held annually on the first Monday of August. While in theory any citizen can be elected First Secretary, in practice the Directory elects from its own membership. Most often from a member of the controlling party.
List of First Secretaries
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Tenure (Years and days) |
Political Party | Directorates | Deputies | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Zoravar Davtyan Զորավար Դավտյան Director from Sinasa (1930–2008) |
17 August 1987 |
20 July 1989 |
1 year, 337 days | Hravart |
| ||
| IV | ||||||||
|
Samuel Heliz Զորավար Դավտյան Director from Zalpa (1928–2007) |
9 September 1992 |
22 July 1993 |
316 days | Radical Party |
| ||
| 21 July 1994 |
23 July 1996 |
2 years, 2 days | X | |||||
| XI | ||||||||
|
Tigranes Agajanian Կոնստանտինե Տիգրանես Director from Thrassa (1936–2010) |
23 July 1996 |
23 July 1997 |
1 year, 0 days | One Vardana |
| ||
|
Nerses Kataroyan Ներսես Կատարոյան Director from Eremos (1939–2007) |
23 July 1997 |
17 July 2003 |
5 years, 359 days | Republican Spirit | Hetav Bartev | ||
| XV | ||||||||
| XVI | ||||||||
| XVII | ||||||||
| XVIII | ||||||||
|
Hetav Bartev Հետավ Բարտեվ Director from Dardalona (born 1944) |
17 July 2003 |
12 February 2010 |
6 years, 210 days | Republican Spirit | Elena Devetzi | ||
| XX | ||||||||
| XXI | ||||||||
| XXII | ||||||||
| XXIII | ||||||||
| XXIV | ||||||||
| XXV | ||||||||
|
Anastas Barkhudar Անաստաս Բարկհuդար Director from Armavia (born 1959) |
22 July 2010 |
Incumbent | 13 years, 272 days | Radical Party |
| ||
| XXVII | ||||||||
| XXVIII | ||||||||
| XXIX | ||||||||
| XXX | ||||||||
| XXXI | ||||||||
| XXXII | ||||||||
| XXXIII | ||||||||
| XXXIV | ||||||||
| XXXV | ||||||||
| XXXVI | ||||||||
| XXXVII | ||||||||
| XXXVIII | ||||||||
Living former First Secretaries
- Living former First Secretaries
Tigranes Agajanian
served 1996–1997
born 1936 (age 88)
Hetav Bartev
served 2003–2010
born 1944 (age 80)