Pashinyan on the Kyaramyan and Aghazaryan Scandal

When the head of the Investigative Committee announces that he has sent requests regarding the criminal case of Hovik Aghazaryan's son at least twice, why is there no legal process? Is this your fight against corruption? This was the question posed by Agnese Khamoyan, a member of the "Armenia" faction.

“Why didn’t you pick up the phone and call the prosecutor to ask why a criminal case was not initiated under the patronage article?” Khamoyan noted.

“If we had any compromise with corruption, it would happen, and you would not know about it, hear about it, or even ask questions. Legal procedures cannot not take place. It should not depend on whether I pick up the phone or not. The processes must occur regardless of whether there is someone to pick up the phone because in Armenia, the tool for regulating relationships is not the phone, but the legislation.”

Regarding incidents that, in our opinion, fall outside the logic of civilized debate and conversation, the response should not be by phone, but through procedures,” Pashinyan replied.

Khamoyan responded that if the government has no compromise with corruption, how is Hovik Aghazaryan still in the National Assembly? “If he were an opposition MP, the prosecutor would have presented a request to deprive him of immunity on the same day. As for the phone, you are always interested in ongoing cases, even when you are at the EAEU meeting, you subtly inquire about the ‘March 1’ case, what information is there from Kocharyan, who was imprisoned, who was released. Why hasn’t the Prosecutor General opened a case regarding patronage? A follow-up question: will Argishti Kyaramyan continue in office?”

Nicola Pashinyan also stated, “Why should Hovik Aghazaryan not be sitting here? What has happened, has a verdict been rendered, has a person's guilt been proven? If we were to act this way, your faction also should not be sitting here for various reasons, including criminal cases. If we pursue you, if there is no justice in Armenia, then why are you present? If there is a basis, a case will be initiated; if there is no basis, then a case will not be initiated; there is no other option. In all cases, there are disciplinary proceedings, and based on their results, we will make appropriate decisions.”