Russian MPs Did Not Come to Armenia to Avoid Arrest: Scandal

On November 18, the National Assembly officially announced that a meeting of the inter-parliamentary commission for cooperation between the National Assembly of Armenia and the Federal Assembly of Russia took place in Dilijan, led by Deputy Speaker Hakob Arshakyan and Yuri Vorobyov. At first glance, this may seem like just another official event, or an attempt to restore relations with Russia from a geopolitical perspective. However, it has been accompanied by a scandal, according to the "Zhoghovurd" newspaper.

According to the newspaper's sources, several members of the State Duma of Russia were expected to attend the inter-parliamentary commission meeting in Dilijan, but the Russian MPs refused to come to Armenia, citing the Rome Statute ratified by Armenia as their reason for refusal. The newspaper reports that the Russian State Duma deputies were concerned that their visit to Armenia could lead to unpredictable outcomes, including the possibility of arrest.

Consequently, the Russian colleagues communicated to their Armenian counterparts that neither side could guarantee that the requirements of the Rome Statute would not apply to them and that they would not be arrested. As a result, the inter-parliamentary commission meeting proceeded without the State Duma deputies, with only representatives of the Federal Assembly of Russia and the Armenian side present.

The "Zhoghovurd" newspaper attempted to get comments from Deputy Speaker Hakob Arshakyan on the occasion but was unsuccessful, neither at the National Assembly nor through phone calls.