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Armenian MP Ruben Hayrapetyan: “National Assembly is Not My Place”

Football Federation of Armenia President, MP Ruben Hayrapetyan, meeting with journalists in Yerevan today, said he has decided to open a fan page on Facebook, confessing, however, that he doesn’t have a command of “such things.”

“Frankly, I don’t have a command of such things at all, this Facebook, but if such things make work easier, then right now I’ll give an order so that I can ask and answer the questions that interest me,” he said, then addressing the press spokesperson, added, “Be sure to do that.”

Hayrapetyan also touched upon a note posted by National Assembly Chair Hovik Abrahamyan on Facebook, in which he says that a portion of the salaries of those MPs who have been absent from parliamentary sessions without just cause will be withheld.

“I don’t read Facebook; I don’t know what Hovik Abrahamyan said. If it’s about punishment, then I don’t advise anyone to punish me, generally I don’t advise it — those who have tried were sorry.

“Secondly, if the National Assembly chair decides to really withhold the salaries of those who were absent from sessions, I will welcome it because if you haven’t gone to work, of course you shouldn’t get paid,” he said.

The Republican Party of Armenia MP also noted that he has not yet received a salary from the National Assembly — and he’s been an MP since 2003. “I am doing more important things; for me, football is more important, a priority, while engaging in legislative activity, I find, it’s not my place.

“I’m not an independent person, I’m [affiliated with] a party, and if my party decides, then I, of course, will participate [in the next parliamentary elections], but if it’s only up to me, no. I am going to do everything not to participate [in next year’s elections],” he said.