Armenian PM says opposition politics offers way to dodge accountability
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that in Armenia, “the best way to avoid responsibility is to engage in opposition politics,” making the comments in response to questions about recent arrests of clergy.
Speaking to journalists, Pashinyan said he did not believe any ongoing legal processes were outside the bounds of the law, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.
“I assume you [journalists] will have more facts about these cases than I do. I do not have the authority to give instructions to everyone, nor do I think there are officials in Armenia willing to carry out illegal orders,” he said.
Pashinyan added that even if unlawful instructions were issued, it was unclear who would take responsibility for their execution. “There is no one,” he said.
He cited an example of a former official in a government agency who, when investigated, turned out to have been an opposition supporter all along. Pashinyan also joked about discovering opposition figures with memories stretching back to 1937, drawing a parallel with historical experiences.
The prime minister concluded by noting that his critical remarks were consistent with those he had made since 1995, or possibly even earlier.
By Aghakazim Guliyev