Epress.am News from Armenia
National Assembly majority party, Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), faction leader Vahram Baghdasaryan, explained why the HHK boycotted yesterday’s urgent session about the “the Law on Turnover Tax” initiated by the non-ruling parties.
Baghdasaryan said that there were already arrangements to discuss the “The Law on Turnover Tax”. According to Baghdasaryan, the non-ruling parties only wish for conversations and dividends, therefore, they started a petition for an urgent session without an agreement with HHK. Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) MP Mikayel Melkonyan responded to the accusation saying that the urgent session to discuss the issue would not have disturbed the previous arrangements. Rule of Law Party (OEK) MP Heghine Bisharyan, stated that if HHK really wanted to discuss the issue they would have attended the urgent session.
HHK MP Seyran Saroyan also spoke in favor of the merchants. He said that there was no point to discuss the issue inside and out, but that they should “vote right now and omit this law like men.”
“Mr. President, come and let’s do this as well to please the people. Come on, let’s leave it the way it was, and let people work. Everyone has it on their mind, but we’re not doing anything, we’re all sitting around. Come, let’s vote like men, and finish it,” said Saroyan.
National Assembly Vice-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, told journalists that the BHK, that support the protesting merchants, had voted for the bill back in June. Sharmazanov is ready to reveal the voting records.
National Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan invited all 6 faction representatives to his office during recess to discuss issue with the law. Note, that during the beginning of yesterday’s urgent session, there were 37 parliamentarians, and because the quorum (66 persons) was not fulfilled, the session did not take place. Other than the HHK faction, who did not attend, 14 BHK parliamentarians were also absent.