MP: You should feel sufferings we had to endure
The amendments to the Ethics Committee of the National Assembly proposed by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) aim to garner more seats for the party in the Committee, Aram Manukyan, Secretary of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), said during today's special parliamentary session called by the government to debate a package of economic and tax-related legislative changes.
Before that, the co-author of the draft bill, Republican MP Arpine Hovhannisyan said the proposed amendments aim to restrict opposition's chances of forming majority in the Ethics Committee.
"We want the minority and the majority to resolve all issues through consensus," she said.
"You contradict yourself by saying that the Ethics Committee is supposed to be an apolitical body," Aram Manukyan said adding that the ruling party seeks to garner more seats in the Committee.
"You form a majority in twelve committees and had better take fewer seats in this Committee to feel all the sufferings we have to endure in the other parliamentary committees. Do not worry, you will not sustain any losses, rather you will be deemed as a democratic force," said Mr Manukyan.
In reply, Arpine Hovhannisyan said they do not seek to take most seats, but they do not want to be in the majority either.
The conversation was interrupted by Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan who announced a break.
