Armenian deputy speaker responds sharply to opposition’s coup claims

Armenian Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan has delivered a scathing rebuke to opposition figures defending those accused in the recent alleged coup plot, invoking the legacy of former President Robert Kocharyan to underscore what he views as the irony of their position.

Rubinyan expressed incredulity at opposition members—some affiliated with figures from Kocharyan’s administration—criticizing the government’s handling of justice, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

“There is nothing stranger than a Kocharyan-era lawmakers complaining about justice over the phone,” Rubinyan remarked pointedly, referencing recent communications from opposition members decrying the arrest of two priests accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Rubinyan questioned the moral standing of the opposition to make such claims, suggesting their appeals rely on the hope that younger generations are unaware of Armenia’s political past.

"I am simply amazed," he said. "Where have you been, my dear friends, for the last 30 years? Were you not yet born? Are you placing your hopes in people who were not even born then? Are you hoping that today's 18-year-olds don't remember Kocharyan's presidency and will believe that Kocharyan was a saint and the Dashnaks were doing holy deeds? Don't worry, they have parents and friends who will tell them."

By Vafa Guliyeva