Remarks Directed at Anna Hakobyan on Plane

The newspaper "Hraparak" reports: "Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, was recently in Paris. She took a photo with France's First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace and met with Armenian women in France. She returned from her Paris trip on Saturday evening, aboard the Air France flight AF 1060 from Paris to Yerevan. One of the passengers who flew on the same plane told us that the prime minister's wife was not warmly welcomed on board.

Passengers noticed that Akobyan was joined on the flight by Hayk Konjoryan, the head of the 'Civil Contract' faction in the National Assembly, who sat in business class, while Anna Hakobyan and her large entourage took seats in economy class. Our source observed how Anna Hakobyan passed by Hayk Konjoryan while boarding the plane and "whispered" something in his direction. This was perhaps due to the fact that she had to fly economy class to avoid public criticism, while a 'certain class deputy' traveled in business class. However, although Mrs. Hakobyan formally occupied the first seats in the economy class, they made special arrangements for her to receive business class service.

Next to her there was an empty seat, which was also purchased to ensure that no one would sit next to her, while one of her bodyguards occupied the third seat. Additionally, passengers counted that Anna Hakobyan was accompanied by eight individuals: three bodyguards, three male companions, and two females, one of whom was her hairstylist, Anush, who was recognized by others on the plane.

The three bodyguards wore ties and suits with the National Security Service insignia, and the others did not have insignias but were in contact with the NSS members and boarded and disembarked together with them. At the beginning of the flight, a few rows behind Anna Hakobyan, several women and a man made remarks towards the prime minister's wife and her entourage, saying things like, “Why should ‘these Turks’ sit so comfortably on the plane?” and “They should be taking a thousand drams for a mere checkup,” along with other expressions. They made loud statements regarding Artsakh, expressing their love for it: “I would die for the Artsakh flag,” “It’s a pride for me,” etc. Anna Hakobyan heard all of this but did not react. Perhaps she has already become accustomed to such remarks.

In contrast, the bodyguards started to make nervous movements, turning towards the girls as if to make a comment; however, one of the senior bodyguards presumably instructed that there was no need for that. And so, everything ended there.

By the way, our informant, who frequently travels abroad, mentioned that previously, ordinary citizens were more respectful towards the wives of Armenian presidents when encountering them on flights; they would even approach to speak, inquire about their well-being, offer help, etc. This time, such behavior was not observed.

Another detail he noted is that in the past, the wives of the presidents of Armenia were generally accompanied by one bodyguard on flights, and they never traveled alone for official meetings, typically accompanying their husbands while remaining in the background. Meanwhile, when traveling on commercial flights, these were private visits during which there were no such commotions, no messages spread, nor publications and photographs made."

For more details, see today’s issue of the newspaper.