If We Hadn't Had an Army for 30 Years, Perhaps the Artsakh War Would Have Been Won by Those from Mars: Kocharian

“I am convinced that the quality of meetings is not what the current minister is implementing,” said Andranik Kocharian, a member of the My Step faction in the National Assembly, during a conversation with journalists today. He was referring to Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who had come to meet him.

In response to journalists' questions about whether former minister Davit Tonoyan often came, Kocharian noted that he did come, but the quality of the meetings was not the same. “Tonoyan also came often. I am convinced that the quality of meetings was not what the current minister is implementing. Our current minister wears shoulder straps that contain a military component. He is not a Minister of Social Protection; the Minister of Defense should not be disturbed. We have many issues to resolve in the post-war period, and these are both legislative and executive problems, as well as issues related to the replenishment of the army,” said the MP.

Regarding the remark that My Step MP Anush Beghloyan also insists that Armenia has not had an army for 30 years, Kocharian responded, “You should ask your questions to Anush Beghloyan. If we had not had an army for 30 years, perhaps the Artsakh War would have been won by those from Mars. I myself earned my first rank of lieutenant colonel in the army on January 28.”

Commenting on a family member of a soldier's statement today that Prime Minister Pashinyan is sending boys to be killed in order to bring his son, Ashot Pashinyan, back, the MP mentioned that the relevant agencies would accept this statement and take action to clarify the authenticity of that information.

Regarding the permission of the NSS to media outlets to conduct investigations in the Syunik region, Kocharian said, “Why don’t you ask the head of the NSS this question? I think there are issues in the coverage that should not harm any aspect related to the confidentiality associated with these services.”