VIDEO: What Opposition Deputy Pashinyan Said When Sarkisian's Picture Was Hanging in Offices

168.am reminds us that opposition deputy Nikol Pashinyan frequently addressed the issue of officials' offices displaying pictures of then-President Serzh Sarkisian. During a National Assembly session on September 14, 2016, while discussing the appointment of Arthur Davtyan as Prosecutor General, Pashinyan remarked, “What do you think are the pictures of Serzh Sarkisian hanging in their offices for? They constantly talk, prosecutors and investigators report in their cabinets, asking whether this murder is a criminal offense or not, and Serzh Sarkisian’s picture explains to them, clarifying global legal practices, the internal logics of presumption and sanctions—it clarifies which murder is criminal and which is not. That picture is a constant connection issue; every evening they report, and every morning they receive instructions.”

Four years after this belief, the situation has changed as Nikol Pashinyan’s picture has begun to appear in officials' offices. After today’s government meeting, journalists asked Justice Minister Karen Andreasyan why he had hung a large photo of Nikol Pashinyan above him. “The leader's picture is a symbol, and yes, there are times during work when looking at the picture, I remind myself to be honest, impartial, and uphold all the requirements set before us by the Prime Minister,” Andreasyan said.

In response to the minister's assertion, let’s recall Pashinyan's retro Facebook post from August 19, 2016: “If you want a state symbol, hang a coat of arms, hang a flag.”