I haven't received parliamentary allowances in a year and a half, the speculations are baseless: Former MP of the ruling party

Nazeli Baghdasaryan, a former member of the National Assembly from the 7th and 8th convocations, wrote on her Facebook page: "Dear compatriots, as you know, I have ceased my powers as a member of parliament. Having served three years in the legislative body, I hope that I have met the expectations and hopes you have connected with me in the process of state-building.

As a representative of the legislative body, I have initiated changes to around two dozen legislative initiatives during the preceding period, aimed at both rectifying legal gaps and implementing changes that will significantly improve our legislative system.

At the podium of the country’s number one institution, my political discourse has often been sharp but consistently based on facts; it has been weighed and free from unnecessary labeling and insults. This has been a guiding principle to which I have remained faithful throughout my parliamentary career.

Naturally, I have maintained contact with my constituents because, equipped with a primary mandate, I have understood that I represent the collective voice of the people in the National Assembly, and my actions must reflect the desires and expectations of the people.

As a member of parliament for two convocations, I can confirm that parliamentary diplomacy is an inseparable part of parliamentary activity. It is through this important tool that it is possible to address many issues, and I have been mandated by the Parliament to represent the interests and positions of the Republic of Armenia in two international organizations, the PACE and the CIS PA.

In parallel, I have continuously developed relations with parliamentarians from different countries in a bilateral format, as this has been particularly crucial in the post-war period.

I am hopeful that my actions corresponding to the rhetoric and stance of a parliamentarian during the previous period have aimed to shape the character of a statesperson.

Despite all speculations, I must mention that during the past year and a half, I have not received parliamentary allowances. The bonuses being speculated about have been unfounded. Moreover, after nearly three years as a member of parliament and living in Yerevan, I have never utilized the hundreds of thousands of drams allocated from the state budget for a parliamentarian’s residence, thus saving approximately 3,600,000 drams from the state budget.

As I cease my parliamentary activities, I regret that I could not put into circulation one or two important legislative initiatives, one of which I would particularly like to address. It concerns compensation for the relatives of our soldiers who died during the war, specifically the brothers and sisters who, under the law on compensation for damage caused to the life or health of servicemen during the defense of the Republic of Armenia, are not yet considered beneficiaries. We have worked on this initiative for a long time, and one of my colleagues, who is also working on this legislation, I hope will circulate the law soon.

I cannot overlook the issue of the return of prisoners of war, which has been at the center of my activities recently. The repatriation of established prisoners continues to be a process that is consistently carried out by the efforts of all state institutions. And although I will no longer be able to contribute to this process as a member of parliament, regardless of which sector I may continue my activities in, this issue will always remain in my focus, and the international connections I have gained can be utilized for the prompt resolution of this matter.

I will continue to serve the Republic of Armenia."

It should be noted that according to Article 155, Part 1 of the Constitutional Law on the Regulation of the National Assembly, Nazeli Baghdasaryan submitted her resignation on October 29.