VIDEO: Babajanyan's Actions Were a Clear Provocation, Abovyan on the Scuffle in the National Assembly

I feel bad when there is an open provocation, when deputies are provoked. This was stated by Arman Abovyan, the secretary of the parliamentary faction of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), during a conversation with journalists in the National Assembly while commenting on the recent scuffle in the Assembly.

“It was a clear provocation by Arman Babajanyan,” he said.

When asked how he evaluates the speech of his party colleague Gevorg Petrosyan, and whether it was condemnable, to which Babajanyan had reacted, Arman Abovyan responded, “Yes, I have heard his speech; it was not condemnable. I encourage everyone to listen carefully to Gevorg Petrosyan's speech, because there were no insults or slander in it.”

To the question of whether the BHK has now crossed into confrontation when they tried to settle accounts in the Assembly session hall, the BHK faction secretary replied, “No accounts were cleared, no clarifications were made. I understand that media outlets need some sensational matters. No, everyone is a human, the situation became tense. I reiterate that this was a provocation. I cannot call this situation normal, but there is no tragedy. There is no need to look for sensations where there are none. I assess Gevorg Petrosyan's speech as objective.”

It should be noted that today a scuffle occurred in the Assembly session hall. Independent deputy Arman Babajanyan addressed BHK member Gevorg Petrosyan's speech, who told the Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan, present in the hall, that it would be good to fight not only against criminal elements but also against other people. “There is a three-letter word; we need to fight against them too,” Petrosyan said.

At the beginning of his speech, Arman Babajanyan stated that on behalf of the BHK, someone here should apologize for this disgraceful behavior. “I urge the Speaker of the National Assembly to respond to this unacceptable behavior.” Applause was heard during his speech, and one of the BHK deputies said something from the floor, to which Babajanyan responded, “Be quiet when I am speaking. We cannot fight against the criminal world and crime with a cowardly and fearful police.”

After this speech, Arman Babajanyan took his seat, after which BHK deputy Arthur Dallakyan approached Arman Babajanyan, who did not respond at all to the scuffle. “My Step” deputies and BHK members did not allow Dallakyan to approach Babajanyan. Responding to the incident, Ararat Mirzoyan said from the podium, “Deputies queue and speak from the podium and cannot be pursued for their speeches; those who do not comprehend these norms should renounce their mandates and remain silent in the ‘hayati bisedk’.”

Even after one more speech, the tension in the Assembly hall did not recede. National Assembly Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan addressed BHK deputy Gevorg Petrosyan, saying, “Do you want to make a razborka? No, then sit in your place, listen to the speech, and do not go to the previous speaker.”

Video: NEWS.am