National Assembly chairman Arthur Baghdasaryan’s resignation served as a firm basis for the National Assembly MPs to start their usual debates and make offensive remarks. This time, the contradicting sides were Rule of Law and National Unity.
“If two political figures are debating and they accuse each other of corruption and poor governing skills, then this is the only time that both sides are right”-this is how an anonymous National Assembly MP characterized the debate between Rule of Law and National Unity.
It was expected to see the two parties debate like that. A. Geghamyan came to the National Assembly rather frustrated because a couple of days ago, Arthur Baghdasaryan had accused him of getting financial aid from Defense Minister of Armenia Serge Sargsyan during an interview with “Azatutyun” radio station. The whole thing started when Artashes Geghamyan accused Arthur Baghdasaryan of not mentioning the names of Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan and circumventing them when talking about the authorities which, according to Geghamyan, says a lot about how scared A. Baghdasaryan is. Geghamyan said that he had a doubt that the current events concerning Rule of Law were just an act.
“We know who’s playing with whom and how, who is “cheating” who. Try not to spread that to the next person, knowing who you are,” said member of Rule of Law H. Markaryan to Geghamyan.
“I understand Vram Gyulzadyan. Potato sellers are the ones leading politics in a country where the chief prosecutor is busy planting trees. This is the current Armenian reality,” said Geghamyan.
Vice-speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan was heading the session and tried calming the MPs down several times and going back to discussing the National Assembly’s agenda, which didn’t take place during the one-hour lasting session. But Torosyan had no luck.
After a while, the Rule of Law-National Unity debate developed. A. Baghdasaryan, who had gone up to his office after presenting his resignation, returned to the sessions’ hall. He approached the podium in order to make some clarifications for Artashes Geghamyan.
“People are talking a lot about Robert Kocharyan. Yes, Rule of Law stood up for Robert Kocharyan during the 2003 presidential elections, both in the first and second stages-in contrast to some political leaders, who left the opposition after the first stage because if they didn’t, then the country’s political situation would have been totally different today. Why did they leave? The press has written about that and the people are talking about that. You mentioned Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan. But you receive shady financial aid from him. We said that with evidence and are saying it now too,” said chairman of the National Assembly.
“If you have evidence, sue me for taking bribes and Serge Sargsyan for giving them to me. Otherwise, you are simply doing what Serge asked you to do,” said A. Geghamyan in response.
“You are the one doing what Serge asks you to do by giving him the stuff he wants. One of the MPs asked how is it that one of the members of your party, Gagik Kostandyan, is doing what the defense minister asks him to do and is sewing military uniforms in his factory. Is it really possible to do that without having any contact with the primary figures of the country? A. Geghamyan is going against Serge Sargsyan when his party member is supplying the ministry of defense with products,” continued A. Baghdasaryan.
When A. Geghamyan and G. Kostandyan tried to speak out, A. Baghdasaryan raised his voice.
“Calm down, young man, please be quiet. I will wait; I am not like you and I have patience. When MPs were talking about privatization from this same podium, you two weren’t here. When parliamentarians were talking about the secret listening of phone calls, you weren’t here. When there were talks being held on selling 1300 of the 1500 kindergartens, you were here but you were busy doing something else while making public announcements.”
By taking advantage of his chance to make an out-of-turn speech, Arthur Baghdasaryan continued, but this time made some offensive remarks.
“What happened was really a tragedy for me. If this is some kind of game for some people, then I have one answer to them: what goes around, comes around-not only to you, but to your close friends. You ask why I didn’t put my resignation up for voting. Why?-so you could speculate that it was a done deal and that I had put it up for voting to stay as chairman?”
During this heated debate, A. Geghamyan suggested that he and A. Baghdasaryan continue the debate on television.
“If any television network invites us to a debate, I will be more than happy to come,” said A. Baghdasaryan and accepted the challenge.
“ “Yerkir Media” is ready, they are waiting for you two,” suggested Vahan Hovhannisyan.
After the session, we asked Vahan Hovhannisyan what “Yerkir Media” has to do with all this by showing its readiness to give the two parliamentarians airtime.
“I am a friend of the chief director of that television network. I will talk to him and make him give airtime. If he doesn’t agree, then he is not that interested in the debate,” said V. Hovhannisyan who believes that although the debate was “passionate”, however it was held in a rather civilized manner.
After the debate, as one of the MPs of the coalition told “168 Hours”, the fight between A. Geghamyan and A. Baghdasaryan is really going on for the sake of Serge Sargsyan’s money.
“The two are fighting for the same reason. Now, when the Rule of Law has declared itself oppositional, Geghamyan is afraid that Rule of Law will not only find its place in the opposition, but also, Serge Sargsyan will start financing A. Baghdasaryan more than the National Unity party.”