THE RIGHT TIME TO SLAM THE DOOR BEHIND
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on July 09, 2008
Armenia

How does SARGIS MOURADKHANYAN, Vice Chair of the National Unity
Party, estimate the activity of the interim parliamentary committee
investigating the March 1 events? Doesn’t he feel constrained that,
unlike the "genuine members", he is participating in the activities
of the committee only by the right to advisory vote?"

"There’s nothing of the kind. We all are equal and have the right to
express our ideas openly. There’s no essential difference whether the
committee member is an MP or a representative of an extra-parliamentary
faction. I believe the committee ensures full equality, and Mr. Nikoyan
is strictly guided by that principle: to listen to everybody, consider
the opinion of each member and make coordinated decisions."

"Doesn’t the committee go beyond its competences by making
assessments on the court decisions and mediating in the process of
the inquest? Whether this won’t become a subject of speculations and
be used with the purpose of intensifying the atmosphere of the public
distrust in the inquest, considering the factor of publicity?"

"We are not entitled to mediate in or change the decision of any court
and use pressure against it. Neither are we making any attempts in
that dirction. As a result of relevant studies, the committee forms its
opinion with regard to different issues and submits it to the relevant
bodies as well as introduces it to the public, and at the end, it
certainly reports the National Assembly on its activities accomplished.

As to the further developments with regard to our conclusion which
reflects the opinions of all the members, it’s quite a different
matter. I am sure that the conclusion will be substantiated, and the
NA leadership and the other state-government bodies will do their
best for the results of our studies to undergo relevant procedures."

"Whereas ‘Heritage’ faction, in the person of Raffi Hovhannisyan,
yesterday expressed its distrust of the committee again."

"As far as I know, Mr. Hovhannisyan has recently developed a new
feature of character – to slam the door behind. It would have
been much better if Mr. Hovhannisyan had slammed the door when the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was discussing the
issue of Azerbaijan and passing anti-Armenian clauses in a resolution
that had nothing to do with Armenia.

If he had slammed the door then and left the hall, there might still
be an impression that Raffi Hovhannisyan, a politician armed with the
ideas of American democracy, is really introducing true democratic
traditions in Armenia.

As regards the viewpoint that the activities of the committee might
be justified if we invited the three Presidents here, I believe Raffi
Hovhannisyan is experienced in that. A couple of years ago he addressed
Robert Kocharyan through some newspapers and offered him to answer
two dozens of questions. What prevents him from doing the same now,
instead of labeling the committee with different names?"