Aravot’s interlocutor is Hayk Mamijanyan, deputy of the I Have Honor faction.
– The government decided to “punish” the opposition and started the process of depriving them of mandates. We are under the impression that we have entered the phase of measuring forces: the opposition could not remove the government, the government is removing the opposition. How would you describe what is happening now in this regard?
– The process started by the ruling junta cannot be defined in any other way than a disgrace. We treat that process with a smile, because it was not the Civil Contract that gave us a mandate. The Armenian people gave us a mandate, and it is not the CC that should take that mandate away or get rid of us. It is impossible to have any serious attitude to this circus and this cannot distract us from the main thing, and the change of government remains in the center of our attention.
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– And what do you say about the exceptions of Ishkhan Zakaryan and Taguhi Tovmasyan?
– I would not consider the case of Ishkhan Zakaryan and Taguhi Tovmasyan in the same context. I have nothing to say about that. The process was initiated by the ruling faction. They should give explanations as to who is on the list, who is not, and why.
– Would you elaborate on why it should be considered in different dimensions and whether the I Have Honor faction will use the opportunity to recall Taguhi Tovmasyan, because the position of the committee chair belonged to the Armenia faction and was transferred to I Have Honor as a result of mutual agreement?
– From a legal point of view, yes, the place is reserved for the faction and if Taguhi Tovmasyan is removed from the faction, she will lose the presidency. But I have nothing to add to Taguhi Tovmasyan’s statement, secondly, I do not express my personal opinion on that issue. Taguhi Tovmasyan is non-partisan and by definition cannot be subject to party discipline. The RPA is primarily responsible for its four members of parliament. I hope that we have never given a reason to be ashamed or blush to the representatives of our own party during this last year. And as for the actual question, I don’t think that the issue of whether or not Taguhi Tovmasyan will remain the chair of the commission is such an important issue in the domestic political life of Armenia that we should leave our affairs with the entire opposition and deal with the dismissal of Taguhi Tovmasyan I think we have a lot more work to do.
– If it turns out that those occupying the following numbers of the opposition lists are tempted and decide to take the mandates, adding to the ranks of Ishkhan Zakaryan and Taguhi Tovmasyan, what levers are there to influence them?
– I consider such discussions to be premature, until the clear steps of the authorities are clear. And I repeat, I would not consider Ishkhan Zakaryan and Taguhi Tovmasyan in the same plane.
– The opposition, for its part, planned to start the impeachment process against Nikol Pashinyan. Will this situation promote the process? Will the opposition start acting more quickly? Will the street gatherings resume again?
– The street gatherings have not stopped. They are still continuing and as Ishkhan Saghatelyan stated, there is a clear plan to carry out actions in the fall.
P.S. This article was already ready for publication when, after the session of the NA Council, it became clear that the ruling power will not appeal to the Constitutional Court with a motion to deprive the opposition MPs of their mandate.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
