Armenian speaker denies state role in opposition mayor’s murder

Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, has firmly denied any government involvement in the recent killing of a local community leader, emphasizing that the incident was a personal dispute, not a politically motivated act.

Speaking to Armenian media, Simonyan addressed the fatal shooting of Volodya Grigoryan, mayor of Armenia’s Parakar enlarged community, who was gunned down on September 23 in the village of Merdzavan, Caliber.Az reports.

“Our government can be accused of many things, but we do not beat or kill people,” Simonyan stated. “The killing of the community head is a personal conflict.”

The Speaker acknowledged the seriousness of the incident but stressed that it should not be politicized.

“Yes, there are problems. Yes, law enforcement agencies must draw conclusions, and yes, what happened is undoubtedly wrong,” Simonyan added. “It is a door that must not be opened — not even approached.”

Grigoryan had been elected as a representative of the opposition Unity bloc.

The killing has sparked political tension in Armenia, with opposition figures raising concerns over the security and accountability of public officials. Authorities have launched an investigation, though details regarding motives or suspects have yet to be disclosed.

By Vafa Guliyeva