Epress.am News from Armenia
Today, the National Assembly voted on the draft bill “On the Impeachment of Serzh Sargsyan occupying the office of President of the Republic of Armenia.” The draft did not pass and only four voted for, while 68 voted against.
Before the vote, Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction MP Nikol Pashinyan stated that Civil Contract’s Governing Board members realized that the draft would have no chance of passing in Parliament, but one way or another that legal document would be entering into the agenda of domestic political life.
“Our issue is to create political conditions, where charges against Serzh Sargsyan can be investigated according to the law by Armenia’s judicial system,” said the MP. In order to prevent speculation, Pashinyan said that the draft did not violate anyone’s presumption of innocence.
“Here, the facts are laid out, these are the keys in the investigation of the darkest corners of Serzh Sargsyan’s actions,” stated Pashinyan.
Turning to the draft, HAK faction leader Levon Zurabyan stated that although all the facts were grounded for the impeachment of Serzh Sargsyan, this action “can not be approached with non-serious weird legal grounds without first getting the support of the political parties to at least lead the issue to a discussion.”
Zurabyan stated that his faction would not vote on the draft because “voting on such weak documents would be a gift to Serzh Sargsyan.”
MP Alexander Arzumanyan stated that regardless of the draft bill’s legal grounds, it creates a good opportunity for those parties who publicly speak about regime change to show their actual approach.
“This is the political body where such issues are discussed,” said Arzumanyan, adding that he would vote for the bill.
Armenian Revolutionary Federation faction leader Armen Rustamyan noted that his faction would not participate in the vote. The Prosperous Armenia Party boycotted the whole session.