“It Would Be Better to Review the Salaries of the Opposition” – Vilen Gabrielyan

KP faction MP Vilen Gabrielyan addressed the opposition at the beginning of his speech from the National Assembly podium. “I understand that you have a certain nostalgia for our colleagues sitting on the right side. As for the opposition, it would be better for us not to call on them to return, but to review their salaries. After all, why have these people been receiving salaries for so long?”

He then expressed his opinion on the controversial amendments and additions to the Law on Defense of the Republic of Armenia, which states that the Chief of General Staff will simultaneously serve as the First Deputy Minister of Defense. He said, “The problem lies in the current Constitution – in the Law on Defense of the Republic of Armenia, whereby, in essence, the Minister of Defense is responsible for preparing the army for war in a pre-war situation, while at a crucial moment, they are actually excluded from the vertical of leadership. The proposed draft somewhat rectifies this issue.”