MP Lilit Galstyan Comments on Hovik Aghazaryan's Statement

MP Lilit Galstyan from the "Armenia" faction of the National Assembly has addressed the comments made by Hovik Aghazaryan, an MP from the "Civil Contract" faction, in an interview with "Hraparak" newspaper. When asked by a journalist whether they would still "beat the opposition," Aghazaryan replied, "If they behave themselves, why should we beat them?"

"This is Hovik Aghazaryan from the CP. It turns out that the day before, when the government was presenting a project in the National Assembly, trying to justify that the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs would lead to an impartial, public interest-serving, and politically neutral police force, this political thinker—this giant of political thought—was giving an interview to 'Hraparak' newspaper and, in response to the journalist's question about whether they would still beat the opposition, produced another gem: 'If they behave themselves, why should we beat them?'

When I pointed out in the National Assembly that, under the conditions of deepening violence in the country, the traditions of the current ruling majority, and the behavior of its leader Nikol Pashinyan, I do not believe in the political neutrality of the police, an unrestrained wave of supporters from the CP surged behind me. I am more than sure that from the 'bastion of democracy,' no MP will emerge to explain the political and human absurdity of this situation, to clarify what a parliament is in a parliamentary country, and to state that with this moral conduct and mental arrangement, their place is entirely elsewhere.

I am confident that the behavior of this individual will not become a subject of discussion either for his political team or for the possible ethics committee of the National Assembly. Many human rights NGOs, whose representatives are now in the National Assembly, will also remain silent. After all, there’s Shmays, Toxmakhi Mher... And you were inspiring us that you are building a state: you indeed have no benchmarks; your aim is only to destroy and deny.

P.S. And nevertheless, what a virtuoso selection result you are: it is astonishing...