Ruben Rubinyan Reveals What Advice Edmon Marukyan Sought During Sushi Dinner

The National Assembly continues its four-day session today. In a conversation with journalists, the leader of the LHK party, Edmon Marukyan, responded to Ruben Rubinyan's statement that Marukyan misses the former authorities and should go have coffee with them. He noted, "He is the one who drinks coffee. He is a latent coffee drinker. The one who drinks coffee accuses me of drinking coffee. I can have coffee with anyone, I have no issue with that; I simply do not drink coffee with him, and that is what bothers him. Conversation with him is uninteresting; what can you talk about with Rubinyan? What discussions can you have with him?"

Rubinyan also reacted to Marukyan's statement and mentioned in conversation with journalists, "First of all, that meeting was not secret; it took place 7-8 months ago. The topic of conversation was that the My Step members of the National Assembly, including myself, had joined the EPP group. When I was discussing this issue, my colleagues asked to consult with their partners from the Republican Party, who were associate members of the EPP, and also to inform Mr. Ashotyan, based on propriety. I informed him, but I did not ask, I simply informed him that we would be entering the EPP group in the PACE."

Rubinyan expressed regret that discussions in the National Assembly have become contentless and petty due to the opposition's behavior, stating, "Marukyan says, why should I have coffee with him? But let me say, a week ago we had sushi together; however, morality does not allow me to disclose what questions Mr. Marukyan was asking and what advice he sought during our sushi dinner."

In response to the LHK's statement that the 'My Step' faction is afraid and that's why they did not allow an investigative committee to be formed to uncover corruption in the Yerevan City Hall, Rubinyan stated, "He says, you want to cover up corruption. In reply, we say, dear Mr. Marukyan, dear Edmon, we do not want to cover up; we simply support that relevant questions are discussed in the Yerevan Council of Elders."