Opinion: We can find a dhol, trumpet, and violin at the National Assembly
Still a year ago, Armenian lawmaker Rustan Gasparyan was a member of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party that spoke critically. Gasparyan’s son was subject to criminal prosecution at the time. Today, his son is at large and Gasparyan is thinking about joining Serzh Sargsyan’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). Gasparyan was among the independent lawmakers who recently met with Sezh Sargsyan to discuss the controversial constitutional amendments. After the meeting, the HHK spokesperson announced tha ‘there already exists the political consolidation over the constitutional reform that Serzh Sargsyan has been talking about.’ The independent lawmaker is acquainted with the draft amendments and is sure that he can take a seat at the National Assembly during the next elections. “A person can be non-partisan and be nominated by any party,” he says. Karen Botoyan, a former lawmaker from the Country of Law (OEK), has just started reading the package of draft amendments. “I am acquainted with the package but I need to know them thoroughly,” he says. Botoyan is not going to join any party, he is still thinking about his party affiliation. Another supporter of the so–called consolidation, former BHK member Martun Grigoryan has been waiting for constitutional amendments for a long time. “Still before the 2012 elections I said that I support the proportional representation system,” he said. The group of lawmakers, who met with Serzh Sargsyan to discuss his initiative, is not yet discussed the possibility of forming a political force. Aragatz Akhoyan says that it is not necessary to create a new political force, there already exist many in the political domain. He may join one of the existing parties but not the opposition camp. Mr Akhoyan says he still has time to think about it. Speaking about the National Assembly, the lawmaker said ‘all colours are available here’. “If we compare the National Assembly with an orchestra we can find a dhol (drum), an Armenian percussion musical instrument, trumpet, and violin there. There are even instruments that are played once but still are a part of the orchestra,” he said. Lawmakers Nikol Pashinyan and Tigran Urikhanyan refrained from speaking about their newly-formed parties.
