Three candidates were nominated for the National Assembly Speaker during the first session of the 8th National Assembly. The opposition nominated Mkhitar Zakaryan and Artur Sargsyan, and the ruling party nominated Alen Simonyan.
Seeing that their candidates were deprived of the right to hold a speech because their candidates are detained, when the time came for Alen Simonyan’s candidacy to be presented, the Armenia alliance demonstratively left the hall.
In his speech, Alen Simonyan thanked Ararat Mirzoyan, Lilit Makunts, and Hakob Simidyan, and said that he went down an inhumane and difficult route with the My Step members. “I am proud of each of you. Thank you for staying strong and loyal to your principles, team, and our country.” He congratulated the Armenia and I Have Honor alliances, and called upon them to unite. “I am prepared to forget small differences for the sake of large goals. I need everyone’s support and advice for organizing the united work of the National Assembly.”
In her speech, Civil Contract member Nazeli Baghdasaryan called the Armenia alliance’s action a “show.” “They tried to present legal and criminal processes as political ones. Naturally, that cannot be the case because we clearly separate legal processes from political ones. Our colleagues display such behavior because they had pocket judges and prosecutors during their administration who could release someone with one phone call. Those times are gone, and believe me, they will not return.”
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Hripsime Jebejyan
