Deputy from ruling party: Scuffle in Armenia`s National Assembly  caused by parliamentary opposition itself

ArmInfo.The tension in the National Assembly of Armenia that led to the scuffle was caused by  the parliamentary opposition itself. This was stated by Vaagn Aleksanyan, the deputy in the National Assembly of Armenia from the ruling faction "Civil Contract," to journalists on April 22.

According to him, during today's extraordinary session of the  National Assembly, there were frictions between the opposition MPs,  which they began to discuss loudly. In response, the Speaker of the  National Assembly Alen Simonyan called for order.  The deputy of the  National Assembly from the "Armenia" faction, Ishkhan Sagatelyan,  began to object to the NA Chairman, leading to a tense situation.  "After some time, they began to spread blatantly false statements  that have nothing to do with reality. In particular, they claimed  that the scuffle occurred after the opposition announced its  intention to introduce a bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide,  which allegedly the authorities oppose. If they really raise this  issue, they will be the first ones to be condemned, as at the time  the then Vice President of the United States Joe Biden stated that at  the request of the President of Armenia, this issue was removed from  the agenda. At that time, the ruling parties in Armenia were the ARFD  and the Republican Party. It is this alliance that seeks and will  continue to seek, to deny the fact of the Armenian Genocide,"  Aleksanyan said, adding that there is a fact on this issue, and the  opposition statements are far from reality. The deputy reminded that  during the time of the former rulers of Armenia, none of the American  presidents recognized the Armenian Genocide, this recognition  occurred during the rule of the "Civil Contract" party.

The deputy pointed out that neither the second President of Armenia  Robert Kocharyan nor the third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan  ever insisted that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide. This issue  is not a priority for the current authorities today, but that does  not mean it is completely closed. "When we negotiate with France or  India, the priority issue for us is the sale of weapons," the  politician emphasized.