Andranik Markaryan (Armenian: Անդրանիկ Մարգարյան) (born June 12, 1951) has been Prime Minister of Armenia since May 12, 2000. He is a member of the Republican Party of Armenia. In Armenia the Prime Minister is appointed by the President. He succeeded the Sarkissian brothers: Vasgen Sarkissian, who was murdered by gunmen on October 27, 1999 in the Armenian parliament building and Aram Sarkissian , who was appointed a week later but fired on May 2, 2000.