Galust Sahakyan orders to switch off Pashinyan's microphone (video)
At the beginning of today’s special sitting, Armenian lawmakers observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of Georgian deadly floods. Republican Hakob Hakobyan suggested removing from the Regulations the provision which allows the government to submit bills for urgent discussion and adoption. Naira Zohrabyan, Head of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) faction, supported the proposal. “This kind of haste and pressure is inadmissible for us. Lawmakers should be given time to get familiarized with bills,” she said. Zaruhi Postanjyan, a lawmaker representing the opposition Heritage faction, said in turn that all the 25 issues included in the agenda should be considered thoroughly and even debated. “The adoption of the bills in this mode is dangerous,” she said. Gagik Jhangiryan from the Armenian National Congress said the government has the right to convene a special session but ‘as you see we continue the previous government’s bad tradition of reviewing bills in haste. “It is unprecedented to discuss 25 bills in one day,” he said. Head of the Heritage faction Ruben Hakobyan said lawmakers need to get familiarized with all bills. “The haste is really inadmissible. I ask the NA Speaker to express his position on the issue.” Only Gagik Minaskyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs, said the Committee had thoroughly discussed all issues earlier on Monday. “We are ready to present them in a plenary session,” he said. “These discrepancies arise because you are all acquainted with the bills you have not discussed them yet. I shall let the government know about it. Now we are going to vote the rules of procedure,” said NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan. HAK lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan reminded his fellow colleagues that on June 12 the National Assembly held hearings on the possible increase in energy prices. “The hearings made it clear that there is no need for the rise in the current tariffs,” he said. Galust Sahakyan interrupted Pashinyan by saying, “I do not want to offend you, but the issue is not included in the agenda of today’s session.” “Maybe the agenda of the special sitting does not include such an issue but it is a top concern in the agenda of our people,” Pashinyan continued. Just at that moment, Galust Sahakyan ordered to switch off the lawmaker’s microphone leaving his sentence unheard for the others.
