Nikoyan ‘Normal’ Parliamentary Speaker and ‘Hayvan’ Means Animal in Turkish, Explains HHK Vice Chair

Samvel Nikoyan is a normal candidate for the position of National Assembly chair, Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) vice chair Razmik Zohrabyan (pictured) told reporters today, referring to the HHK decision to nominate Nikoyan for the parliamentary speaker position.

Reporters told Zohrabyan that Nikoyan failed in his work as head of the March 1 parliamentary commission; however, the HHK vice chair noted the commission was a temporary one and that Nikoyan did everything possible to uncover the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mar. 1–2, 2008, in Yerevan (in which 10 died when national police and military forces were called in to disperse crowds protesting alleged fraud in the presidential election).

Zohrabyan also weighed in on reports that former parliamentary speaker Hovik Abrahamyan was, in fact, displeased with having to leave his post, saying that he met with Abrahamyan after the dismissal but didn’t notice any such mood.

The HHK vice chair said that by assuming the position of head of the HHK election campaign headquarters, Abrahamyan wants to prove that it’s possible to have good elections in Armenia.

On the insults exchanged between MPs that occurred in parliament two days ago, Zohrabyan first said, “The Turkish word ‘hayvan‘ means animal and ass [donkey] is the same animal,” after which he said, “Such exotic incidents occur in all parliaments, we simply have to be more discreet.”