I Said I Heard That Recording: Hratchya Hakobyan on the Conversation Between Serzh Sargsyan and Onik Gasparyan

“I am confident that there are recordings of the conversation between the main rejected person and Onik Gasparyan, but it's not time to publish them yet,” stated Hratchya Hakobyan, a member of the 'My Step' faction and the Chief of Staff of the Armenian National Assembly, in a conversation with one of the media outlets.

When asked how he acquired such information and who illegally recorded the conversation between the mentioned individuals, the MP began to justify himself.

“I said, did I hear that recording?”

“But we didn’t say anything like that to you; we are just asking where you got this information from.”

“I heard about that conversation from the Prime Minister in public; I am confident it wouldn’t have been discussed otherwise.”

“Are you aware that recording someone’s conversation implies legal responsibility?”

“But what makes you think that individuals did not have such rights?”

“I am asking you so I can understand.”

“I do not know under what conditions those people were recorded, but if the Prime Minister is talking, there must be facts, right?”

“The Prime Minister talks about many things without facts. If there are facts, please enlighten us.”

“I said what I know. Now you are recording me too; is that unprecedented?”

“I am a journalist, and you are a legislator, and I am not wiretapping you; rather, it is clear when I pose a question that the conversation would be recorded.”

“Well, now, what do you know about how that conversation was recorded?”

“That’s what I am saying; please enlighten us.”

“I said what I said; I’m sorry.”

We have also sent a written inquiry to the Prosecutor's Office to find out whether Mr. Hakobyan’s statement is a report of a crime,” writes the newspaper.