Another verbal altercation occurred at a meeting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

ArmInfo. Another verbal altercation occurred on September 18 at a session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, where the Central Electoral Commission's progress report was being discussed.

The tension in the situation was triggered by a speech by Shiraz Manukyan, a member of the National Assembly from the opposition Strong Armenia faction, who noted that another faction, Prosperous Armenia, was supposed to be represented in the country's parliament, but this did not happen for the simple reason that the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) did not allow the party to enter the National Assembly. The CEC's goal was not even to increase the number of mandates for the ruling Civil Contract faction, but to prevent Prosperous Armenia party leader Gagik Tsarukyan from installing a statue of Christ. "If this statue were erected, it would offend the spiritual sensibilities of some government officials," the MP stated.

This statement outraged NA Vice Speaker Vahagn Aleksanyan, who called on his colleague not to overstep the mark. "What do you mean, 'some government officials would be offended'? What do you mean? Turn off Mr. Manukyan's microphone, go sit back down until you learn to speak," Vahagn Aleksanyan declared, interrupting Manukyan's speech and depriving him of the right to vote.