Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has signed a decree to appoint Hovik Abrahamyan as prime minister, the Armenpress news agency reported Monday. Abrahamyan, speaker of the parliament, will succeed Tigran Sargsyan, who stepped down on April 3. Sargsyan's resignation was widely believed to be related to highly controversial pension reform. Abrahamyan, 56, is from the ruling Republican Party. He served as vice prime minister and territorial administration minister in 2007-2008.