What Allen Simonyan Wrote in a Letter to Zatuliny

The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Allen Simonyan, has declined to participate in the fifth session of the Russian-Armenian "Lazarev Club." In a letter addressed to State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatuliny, he explained that he would be attending the next meeting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly in Samarkand.

Earlier, in the letter from the leadership of the National Assembly of Armenia, it was particularly noted: "On behalf of the leadership of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, we regret to inform you that your recent public statements concerning the Republic of Armenia are damaging to the development of friendly and allied relations between our countries. In this regard, your future visit to the Republic of Armenia is considered undesirable."

It is noteworthy that earlier the Armenian authorities had declared Konstantin Zatuliny as "persona non grata." According to the newspaper "Haykakan Zhamanak," the authorities were upset by the criticism directed at the leadership, especially aimed at Nikol Pashinyan. Zatuliny himself called the unexpected ban on his entry to Armenia offensive.