MP Violated Rules of Ethics, Decides Parliamentary Commission

Ruling Republican Party of Armenia MP Arakel Movsisyan (pictured) violated the rules of ethics. Such was the decision made by the National Assembly Committee on Ethics at a closed-door meeting today upon reviewing the complaint submitted by four journalists.

As committee chair Hovhannes Sahakyan informed Pastinfo.am [AM] after the meeting, the committee's decision, according to the parliament's rules of procedure, will be announced during the upcoming sitting of the parliament and will be published on the official website.  

Note, journalists appealed to the ethics committee regarding Movsisyan's behavior at a December 23, 2013 parliamentary meeting in which MPs were to vote to ratify the Armenia-Russia gas agreements. Moments before the meeting began, four journalists held a silent protest, holding signs addressed to MPs of the ruling parliamentary majority to vote against the bill. During the silent protest, Movsisyan in a loud voice said, "Get these monkeys out of here."

This is not the first time Movsisyan has spoken out inappropriately in parliament.