We Expect Andranik Kocharyan to Apologize to Those Wearing 'Fisherman's Uniform': Ministry of Defense

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, Shushan Stepanyan, made a post on her Facebook page in response to certain statements made by Andranik Kocharyan, a member of the ‘My Step’ faction in the National Assembly.

“Today, on November 16, during a press briefing with journalists in the National Assembly, the chairman of the NA standing committee on defense and security, Andranik Kocharyan, described the uniform worn by the Minister of Defense as 'an incomprehensible uniform' and 'fisherman's uniform' as the minister was presenting himself in parliament.

This conduct is not only unworthy of a senior state official but also demonstrates a striking lack of knowledge regarding defense matters on the part of Andranik Kocharyan. On November 16, Minister of Defense David Tonoyan appeared in parliament wearing a uniform whose design and wearing regulations are defined by the Ministry of Defense decree No. 1694 issued on December 24, 2019. Therefore, this is not just an 'incomprehensible' uniform but one that has been officially approved by the defense department through all necessary procedures, with detailed regulations for its wear.

If the chairman of the NA standing committee on defense and security had at least attempted to inquire about this issue, he would have been informed that this uniform has been worn by civilian employees of the Ministry of Defense for nearly a year.

Consequently, Mr. Kocharyan, by using the term 'fisherman's uniform,' has effectively insulted several hundred civilian employees of the Ministry of Defense system who wear this uniform with pride every day. We expect that the senior state official will have enough prudence and courage to apologize to all those employees of the country’s defense department who wear what he described as the 'fisherman's uniform.'