During a press conference, vice-chairman of the Armenian National Assembly and member of the Supreme Council of the ARF Vahan Hovhannisyan said that he is currently neutral in making comments about the arrest of his former partisan Zhirair Sefilyan, claiming that the case is still under investigation.
In response to one of the journalists’ questions as to why Armenian police don’t arrest the National Assembly deputies who make more vulgar and rude comments to the Armenian authorities instead of Sefilyan, Hovhannisyan said:
“Unfortunately, deputies are untouchable. We’re against being untouchable and think that that should be standardized. If anyone has any information, they can testify and prove the given person’s innocence with proofs. The accusation as of today regards anti-constitutional acts. The liberated territories have nothing to do with it. I don’t think the police will ever arrest anyone who is against handing over territories to Azerbaijan. If it were like that, then the police had to start with me.”
V. Hovhannisyan, who claims that he is against handing over any land to Azerbaijan, declared that he wouldn’t join Sefilyan and his allies who are also against returning the lands. The problem is that Vahan Hovhannisyan still hasn’t “seen” the person, who is ready to give the liberated lands.
“I haven’t seen anyone who is ready to give anything. That’s why it’s too early to talk about such things. We all know that eternal peace will require mutual understanding and compromises. Armenia has already sacrificed many things: it’s not joining Karabakh with Armenia, Karabakh is an independent state, we’re not raising the Nakhijevan issue, etc. Azerbaijan hasn’t said a word about making compromises and talking about Armenia making compromises is chronological,” said Hovhannisyan. “
Touching upon the activities of Zh. Sefilyan’s “Arax Kur” rehabilitation and development fund, V. Hovhannisyan said:
“We may have national goals, but we need to get serious and not act boyish in order to reach those goals tactfully. I am realistic and I see the creation of a united Armenia, but the road to take, the resources, the time and how to do that are a different story.”