Aghazaryan on the Removal of His Immunity

Former CPP member and currently independent MP Hovik Aghazaryan believes that the prosecutor's request to strip him of immunity is a political decision. According to him, the ruling majority in the National Assembly will agree to the request.

He claims that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wishes to strip him of his mandate, offering an easy way to do so. Aghazaryan stated that the Civil Contract party needs to lose in the upcoming elections for the Gyumri City Council, leading the Prime Minister to call for snap elections, resulting in everyone, including himself, losing their mandates.

“Only a few members of the ‘Civil Contract’ faction are lawyers and can adequately assess the realities, while the others lack sufficient legal knowledge, therefore, they should allow the prosecutor's office and other law enforcement bodies to begin the process of clarifying what happened,” Aghazaryan told reporters during a briefing in the National Assembly.

He believes that despite Pashinyan's rating not being what it once was, it remains the highest. He also noted that since his departure, the rating of the Civil Contract party has decreased by about 1 percent.

Aghazaryan asserts that he is not facing political persecution, but rather political pressure. “For two reasons: one is that I did not resign my mandate, and the Prime Minister and the political team believe this undermines the authority of the government. The second reason is to suppress some of my former colleagues with my future prospects in mind. We know what processes we are currently undergoing, and that in some cases these processes need to proceed smoothly,” Aghazaryan stated.

Aghazaryan promised that he would reveal many truths during the National Assembly session. Regarding whether he would participate in opposition movements, he expressed a different opinion on this matter. He said if the entire public were to take to the streets and if one person was needed, he could also join.

He believes that Pashinyan has led the country during very difficult times and that he has exhausted himself psychologically, physically, and morally and should take a break. “We must do everything possible to ensure that the Prime Minister is not re-elected during the next regular or snap elections,” said Aghazaryan.