Alen Simonian Cuts Off MP's Microphone for Addressing Prime Minister by Name

The President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonian, cut off the microphone of Anna Mkrtchyan, a member of the 'I Have Honor' faction, after she addressed the Prime Minister by name and made a qualification during her speech from the podium.

During the Assembly's meeting on August 6, MP Anna Mkrtchyan referred to the Prime Minister directly in her speech about their proposal to establish a committee on the issues of Artsakh, saying 'Your Nikol...'

Vice President of the Assembly, Hakob Arshakyan, urged the Prime Minister not to be addressed by name and to express oneself appropriately towards colleagues and the leadership of the country. Following this remark, Mkrtchyan promptly addressed the Prime Minister by name again. Hakob Arshakyan announced that he was giving a warning and cautioned that she might be stripped of her speaking rights next time.

Mkrtchyan insisted that the phrase 'to give a warning to an MP' does not exist in the law on the regulations of the National Assembly. Subsequently, Mkrtchyan again addressed the Prime Minister by name during her speech, also giving a derogatory qualification (capitulator).

Assembly President Alen Simonian urged the secretariat to cut off the speaker's microphone. 'In these 3-4 days, there has been no such case where an MP has allowed themselves your vocabulary. I forbid you to speak in such vocabulary here. I can even invite you out of the hall and not allow you to return,' Simonian stated, adding that there are other ways to stand out.

Simonian announced that he had cut off the MP's microphone in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 52 of the National Assembly's regulations. He urged the MP to leave the podium, but she continued to speak with the microphone disabled.