During the discussion initiated by the parliamentary opposition on the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s reports and the use of funds transferred to the RA state budget being examined by the NA Investigative Committee at the NA plenary sitting, Civil Contract MP Vigen Khachatryan addressed the opposition. “I have many ties in the Diaspora. They express concern that a policy of discrediting the fund is being pursued. People sow distrust that it is not worth trusting the fund because it is being abused. I consider this to be insidious. The task of the opposition is to magnify the shortcomings of the opposition, which is welcome, but to mix the wet with the dry․․․ ”
Then Gegham Manukyan from the Armenia alliance responded to Khachatryan․ “Anyone who renounces Artsakh is a traitor. It is betrayal, just as the one who just spoke renounced Artsakh in front of the media.”
NA Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan urged him to observe the rules of ethics. “You have just accused someone of renouncing Artsakh. Say their name.” Manukyan answered that he could quote Vigen Khachatryan. Rubinyan asked, “In other words, do you consider Vigen Khachatryan to be a traitor? Turn off Gegham Manukyan’s microphone.” Manukyan insisted that Rubinyan had no such right, but the latter instructed him to take his place.
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Gegham Manukyan refused, after which Rubinyan instructed the security officers to remove Manukyan from the podium. The security guards dragged Manukyan down from the podium. The sitting was interrupted. It is noteworthy that the cameras broadcasting the NA sitting live did not show what was happening on the other side of the hall, beyond the frame. A little later, while the broadcast was still going on, screams were heard from the hall. “Mr. Yeghoyan,” shouted Ruben Rubinyan from the microphone.
Luiza Sukiasyan
