ArmInfo.Today’s meeting of the Armenian parliament was marked with a fight.
MP from the My Step faction Sasun Mikaelyan, unexpectedly responded to the speech of Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the Bright Armenia faction, first attacking Marukyan with unpleasant words and then with fists. Other lawmakers as well as members of the Armenian government intervened in the brawl. In particular, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan tried to separate the brawlers.
Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan tried to declare a break. However, the situation was brought under control, after which Marukyan continued his speech, demanding an additional 10 minutes from the chairman. “No matter how much you beat me, do not make me silent anyway,” said the MP, whose speech was constantly interrupted by the same Sasun Mikaelyan. This again made Marukyan lose his temper. “Leave your Shmays (former deputy Arakel Movsisyan nicknamed “Shmays”, distinguished by his violent temper – ed.) habits. It’s enough this culture should be eradicated. And do not beat me from behind on the back>, the MP said. In the end, the speaker nevertheless announced a break.
ArmInfo.Refusing to accept our proposals, colleagues from the “My Step” bloc follow the path beaten by their predecessors, member of the Bright Armenia parliamentary faction Taron Simonyan expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
The parliamentarian considers the legacy of the past to be the main reason for the refusal to accept the opposition’s proposals. According to him, the former authorities had the same attitude to the legislative initiatives of the opposition. A similar principle, according to the opposition, is fundamentally wrong and its results are visible today.
“Almost all of our proposals instantly run into opposition from the majority. However, they do not even delve into the essence of the proposals, even the essence of the reasons for their own opposition. Meanwhile, the consideration and adoption of these proposals proceeds from their own interests, since the state needs it. Our proposals don’t have one-sided interest. They are based on the results of research, which, in theory, any thinking authority should come to, “he said.
According to Simonyan, the Bright Armenia has been constantly stating in the parliament the past year and a half about serious problems in the law enforcement system. And in due time the government didn’t even want to discuss the faction’s proposals for reforming the government structure within the framework of the government’s program. And started to discuss this option only this year. Meanwhile, if the reform process had begun last year, this year the authorities would not have encountered any related problems.
“Today I don’t understand at all the position of the authorities. We proposed to start reforming practically all fields of state administration immediately after the revolution. The revolutionary situation, the atmosphere was more than ever favorable for the introduction, implementation of new ideas, approaches and changes. Today the situation is gradually freezing, and reforming the state apparatus is becoming more and more difficult over time, “he said.
According to Simonyan, it is never too late to initiate reforms, but 2 years ago it was much easier to do. Today, the process has become more complicated due to an increase in the system’s resilience to these reforms. Recalling that Prime Minister Pashinyan himself periodically talks about this, the parliamentarian described this course of events as quite natural, noting that the more reforms are delayed, the more internal resistance to these reforms increases.
ArmInfo. “I condemn any violence, in any manifestation, including moral-psychological one,” Armenia’s PM Nikol Pashinyan stated from the RA NA rostrum on May 8, commenting on the conflict between head of the “Bright Armenia” faction Edmon Marukyan and member of the “My Step” faction Sasun Mikayelyan.
Pashinyan said:
The head of the Cabinet noted that women MPs from the ruling bloc on social networks are being threatened with reprisal, as well as threats to kill their children also sounds. “The goal of everything that is happening is clear – to undermine the trust that has developed between the country’s authorities and the people,” Pashinyan emphasized.
Pashinyan noted that, however, in everything that happens, he condemns himself and the ruling parliamentary bloc. . Indeed, if a number of people confiscate their property, how will they pay for services to their accomplices>, the head of the Cabinet asked.
The prime minister also said that hatred and violence are unacceptable in the new Armenia. “We will live in a new Armenia, in which there is no place for violence,” he noted.
It should be noted that the work of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia was interrupted today due to the conflict that arose between head of the “Bright Armenia” faction Edmon Marukyan and MP from the My Step faction Sasun Mikayelyan. Other members of parliament were involved in the assault. Clarification of relations with the participation of parliamentarians continued during the announced break, after which the conflicting parties finally dispersed.
ArmInfo. Violence or the threat of violence is unacceptable in principle, regardless of when and by whom it is done or to whom it is directed. The Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan wrote about this on his Facebook page, referring to today’s incident in parliament.
”The rules that apply to everyone are of particular importance to the political majority, which has received a mandate of high confidence. You cannot use a derogatory word that offends a person’s dignity. This leads to dangerous consequences, doubles insult and hatred, and provokes violence. This requirement is especially true for persons holding public office and carrying out relevant activities, who in their political or other terms should be restrained and not allow words that generate hatred and cause tension. Whether we like it or not, the words and behavior in parliament are an example for society. Therefore, it is especially necessary here not to overstep the mark, and to contribute to guaranteeing solidarity and mutual respect in society. Violence or the threat of violence is unacceptable in principle, regardless of when and by whom it is done or to whom it is directed. In the end, the main goal of all of us is to eliminate threats, completely eradicate insult and humiliation of dignity, any word that generates hatred>, he said.
To recall, the work of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia was interrupted today due to the conflict that arose between the head of the Bright Armenia faction Edmon Marukyan and the MP of the National Assembly from the My Step faction Sasun Mikayelyan. Other lawmakers of the Armenian parliament were also involved in the assault. Clarification of relations with the participation of parliamentarians continued during the announced break, after which the conflicting parties finally dispersed.
ArmInfo. The “Bright Armenia” faction which left the parliamentary chamber in full force after the incident with a fight between head of the “Bright Armenia” faction Edmon Marukyan and MP from the My Step faction, Sasun Mikayelyan, will decide how to continue to work in the seventh convocation of National Assembly. Head of the “Bright Armenia” faction Edmon Marukyan This stated to reporters.
To note, leader of the revolution, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, speaking after the incident in parliament, called the incident a provocation.
Some 80 per cent of the employees at the detention center work one full day then have three days off, former President Robert Kocharyan said at a court hearing on Friday when asked by Judge Anna Danibekyan to describe the conditions of the penitentiary facility.
Kocharyan remarked that the time of penitentiary employees out of their working hours is not supervised by anyone which exposes them to a risk of contracting an infection. Since most of them are young there is a greater chance that their disease can be asymptomatic, added Kocharyan.
“A person can be infected but have no idea about it and continue coming to work. 90 per cent of them are young people aged 22-35. I am now along in the detention facility yet there is still interaction with the facility staff. It is impossible to exercise social distancing in these building conditions not to mention the lack of air conditioning,” Kocharyan said.
The former president went on informing that his meal is delivered from outside and there is no control how and in what conditions it is prepared.
Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan, in turn, noted he had turned to the Ombudsman over the concerns raised by the president.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8
Trend:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan has issued a statement on the 28th anniversary of the occupation of the city of Shusha by armed forces of Armenia, Trend reports citing the ministry.
“As part of a systematic policy of aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan, a historical Azerbaijani city of Shusha was occupied by armed forces of Armenia on May 8, 1992. As a result of the occupation, Shusha city and 30 villages of Shusha district were destroyed, 195 innocent civilians were killed, 165 were wounded and 58 persons went missing, more than 24.000 inhabitants of Shusha were subjected to ethnic cleansing.
The tangible cultural and spiritual heritage of the Azerbaijani people has been severely damaged as a result of the occupation of Shusha, a city of exceptional historical, cultural, spiritual and symbolic significance for the people of Azerbaijan and known as “Cradle of the Azerbaijani music”, “Conservatory of the Orient”. More than 170 buildings with the status of an architectural monument, 160 cultural and historical monuments, mosques, a number of rare manuscripts were destroyed and subjected to vandalism in Shusha. “Imarat of Panah khan complex” and library, Khan Palace and Karvansaray, Ashaghy Govharagha and Saatly Mosques, Mausoleum of Vagif, Natavan’s House and many others are among them.
The aggressor state Armenia, following the ethnic cleansing conducted in course of Shusha’s occupation, in contradiction to the requirements of international humanitarian law, destroys the historical and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan and gradually changes the cultural image of the city. Thus, thousands of people have been illegally resettled in Shusha. The Yukhary Govheraga (Juma) Mosque, built by the order of Govharaga, the daughter of Karabakh ruler Ibrahim Khan, is “restored” by the Armenians and presented as a Persian one. All these clearly demonstrate the intentions of the occupiers to shadow the fact that Shusha is a prominent Azerbaijani city.
But the Armenian side has to understand that all these attempts have no prospects, the occupation is temporary. The Nagorno-Karabakh is an internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan, this region has always been and will remain an inalienable part of Azerbaijan.
According to the position of all international organizations and states of the world, in particular, the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, Nagorno-Karabakh recognized as an integral part of Azerbaijan and immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is demanded.
Azerbaijan is the most interested party in the soonest negotiated settlement of the conflict and ensuring lasting peace in the region. The objective of the ongoing negotiations process on the settlement of the conflict is to ensure the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent districts of Azerbaijan, the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders and the return of IDPs to their homes. The achievement of that objective is a must, not a compromise. Azerbaijan considers no political solution to the conflict beyond this framework and participates in the settlement process on the basis of this understanding.
If the negotiations fail to bring as an outcome the ending occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, Azerbaijan retains its inherent rights under the UN Charter to ensure the restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8
By Sadraddin Agjayev – Trend:
The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) has condemned the occupation of the Azerbaijani Shusha city by the Armenian armed forces, GUAM’s Secretariat stated, Trend reports on May 8.
“We reaffirm our support to independence and sovereignty of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders,” the statement said.
Today (May 8) marks the 28th anniversary of the occupation of the Shusha region of Azerbaijan by Armenia.
Twenty-eight years have passed since the occupation of Azerbaijan’s Shusha city by Armenia.
Shusha, one of the unique cultural centers of Azerbaijan, is a city, characterized for its natural beauty, and is a valuable monument of national architecture and medieval urban art. Constantly keeping the Azerbaijani national-spiritual values and traditions of music, Shusha before forming as a city of great economic, political and cultural significance, has passed a rich way as a center of Karabakh khanate, played its role in the lives of the people of Azerbaijan. This city, which went down in history thanks to Gasim bey Zakir, Khurshidbanu Natavan, Mir Mohsun Navvab, Najaf bey Vezirov, Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev, Yusif Vazir Chemenzeminli, Firidun bey Kocharli, Ahmad bey Agaoglu and other eminent personalities, is known worldwide as the cradle of the Azerbaijani mugham.
In 1977 at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev a decree “On the declaration of the historic part of the city of Shusha as historical and architectural reserve” was passed. Since that time, creative work in Shusha became widespread, house-museums of the great figures of our culture and arts Uzeyir bey Hajibeyli, Khurshidbanu Natavan and Bul-Bul were created, a mausoleum of an outstanding poet Molla Panah Vagif was built.
As a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Republic of Azerbaijan, which adopted on October 18, 1991, relevant documents for the restoration of its national independence, came face to face with the aggressive policy of ethnic cleansing by Armenia. Given that the country which was undergoing profound political, economic and social crisis and finding ways out of from tense situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, has not yet formed its own national army, it relied only on voluntary assistance of self-defense units during the defense of Shusha which has high military and strategic importance. However, despite the fact that they fought valiantly, and had a decent resistance, on May 8, 1992, the Armenian armed forces armed to the teeth occupied Shusha.
In the battle for the defense of Shusha, 195 our compatriots were killed, 165 people were injured, 58 people captured, and taken hostage.
More than 876 settlements, about 7,000 industrial, agricultural and other enterprises in Shusha, more than 153,000 housing units with a total area of more than nine million square meters were looted, burned and destroyed. In addition, as many as 4,366 social and cultural facilities of Shusha, 616 secondary schools, 242 pre-school institutions, 397 hospitals, 10 clinics, 10 maternity hospitals, 76 pharmacies, four sanatoriums and 10 mosques were destroyed by Armenian aggressors.