Yesterday the founding leader of the Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisian said that he is withdrawing his unexpected resignation from Armenia’s parliament which has sown discord within his party. “I have been urged by compatriots both in Armenia and in our broad Diaspora to take up the challenge and use the limited forum that the National Assembly offers to speak in the name of truth and justice no matter what the odds,” added Hovhannisian. “Hence, in deference to this strong groundswell of support and urgency, I am withdrawing my resignation and will resume my responsibilities as a member of the Heritage faction. Having humbly labored so many years for the international reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, recognition of the Karabakh Republic, and normalization of relations with our neighbors without any precondition, I felt betrayed by the actions of this administration in compromising these fundamental principles and therefore decided to lay down my parliamentary mandate in protest. Hence, in deference to this strong groundswell of support and urgency, I am withdrawing my resignation and will resume my responsibilities as a member of the Heritage faction, which for the past two years has consistently demonstrated its commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, an end to illegal political persecution and imprisonment, and the dignity, integrity and security of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people worldwide. Indeed, after these apprehensive, truthful and fair words of R. Hovhannisian all we have left to do is direct our eyes to the shining top of Ararat and imagine how our outstanding leader is protecting the nation from the destruction with his powerful arms in the limited arena of the NA. And only the devious person could ever presume that this game initiated and led by Raffi Hovhannisian was aimed at withstanding the challenge by voting against the protocols together with the ARF. And this behavior is going to have a purely symbolic meaning. Most importantly Hovhannisian will have proved his goal of forming a patriotic opposition. This is what the government needs so much right now.
