Mirzoyan to Move to Government Summer House; Shares Life Details

I find it necessary to address several topics that have caught your attention and present some technical details.

This was written on his Facebook page by the President of the National Assembly, Ararat Mirzoyan, referring to a video that has been actively circulating since the morning, showing a security officer putting on his coat.

“Dear friends, acquaintances, and the less friendly,
I find it necessary to address several topics that have caught your attention and present some technical details.

Yes, there is a legal requirement for state protection for the President of the National Assembly. It turns out that when the President of the National Assembly visits any location, he has to leave his coat not in a common cloakroom, but with his security staff. This is how my coat ended up with my head of security.

Could I have put on the coat by myself? Of course. But there is a very technical, perhaps also trivial nuance. I trust you agree that catching the other sleeve of my coat in front of cameras and then straightening a crumpled collar is not the most appealing prospect. Especially since, as can be seen in the video, there was a problem with moving quickly—the other cars were approaching in turn.

Was there a need to wear the coat before getting into the car? You jest, 'Was it cold in the car?' I’m glad to inform you. It wasn’t cold, but it was quite chilly—as I do not keep the engine running while I attend any event.

“Why doesn’t he open the door of his car?” you ask. I optimistically believe that the cameras do not just randomly capture and then spread images of numerous occasions when I have indeed opened the door myself. Even on the same morning, while leaving Yerablur.

“It’s an SUV,” they say. I smile at my own SUV, which is, of course, of a much more modest class. I greatly miss driving a car. I used to love it.

Rudeness, disrespect, a hint of Republicanism. Sometimes such descriptions were given to this scene. Of course, it’s not pleasant to hear, but it’s the job of writers and their morality, and fortunately, we live in a free country now, and I am happy that, along with many others, I was able to contribute to the degree of freedom of speech since 2004. Regarding the substance, I would like to say that I do not share these assessments.

To move forward, I will say that soon I will be relocating to the so-called government summer house to ease the lives of my security staff, who currently monitor the checkpoint established in our yard night and day, as well as that of my longtime neighbors. By the way, the renovation there is not progressing at an accelerated pace, as a media outlet informed recently, citing ‘reliable sources.’ I must also say that renovations are indeed needed. If you saw it, you would agree.

By the way, I am regretfully going to move. Let me explain why. In addition to my parental home, we had a one-room apartment that we sold shortly before the revolution. Using that money as a down payment, we purchased a larger apartment with a mortgage in a newly built complex (not at all in the city center and of course not an entire floor, as another media outlet claims to have ‘information’ about), which we dreamed of renovating and to which we would have moved with the whole family. Now, we will be forced to postpone the realization of that dream for the duration of my term in office.

Do these arbitrary facts, sometimes honest but naive, sometimes obvious interpretations made from well-known centers discourage me? Of course not. I will continue to serve the Republic of Armenia. I have sworn an oath.

Should I write this? I am not sure. Outsiders say no. But I do not have the nature to avoid difficult topics; this is how I was raised at home and in the yard. I have nothing to be ashamed of or to hide.

Be well, stay healthy, and often smile at your loved ones,” wrote the President of the National Assembly.