ArmInfo. In his speech in the courtroom, Robert Kocharian described in detail the situation that developed in Armenia on February 23, 2008. The lawyer of the second  president of Armenia Robert Kocharian Hayk Halumyan said this in a  conversation with journalists.

"The second president, in particular, noted that on these days  information was received that work was being conducted in the army so  that the military would join the demonstrators. Moreover, there were  also rumors that the deputy defense minister should join the  demonstrators Manvel Grigoryan, who was also the head of the  Yerkrapah union. After that, discussions began in the administration  of this union so that members of the union join the protesters.  Robert Kocharyan, in the current situation, invited the army  commander , and instructed the Minister of Defense Mikayel  Harutyunyan to ensure the neutrality of the army, "said Halumyan.

He said that Kocharyan, in his speech, stated that he had instructed  the minister that the army should not interfere in these processes.  Moreover, high-ranking officers, who were going to continue their  military service, had to remain aloof from the processes taking place  in the Yerkrapah union. As Halumian noted, otherwise, they could drop  out of the army.

"I would like to note that in his speech, Robert Kocharian also spoke  about the well-known order" 0038.  "The second president of Armenia  reiterated that, like any order of the Minister of Defense, this  order was neither during his presidency nor Levon's presidency  Ter-Petrosyan or Serzh Sargsyan have never been sent for coordination  with the head of state, "said Halumyan. He added that during the rule  of three Armenian presidents there was simply no need for such a law.  The second president of Armenia also noted in his speech: "There was  nothing bad in the order 0038, which could be held criminally  liable," Kocharian concluded.

It should be noted that in February 2008 it was expected that Deputy  Defense Ministers Manvel Grigoryan and Gagik Melkonyan would join the  opposition.