Hrant Bagratyan: If you pressurize a lawmaker, the energy will flow out from another place (video)
During the parliamentary discussions on the draft amendments to the Law on Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, member of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) Hrant Bagratyan addressed a question to co-rapporteur Vahram Mkrtchyan (Republican Party of Armenia-HHK). Bagratyan expressed his surprise at the fact that MPs should deliver five-minute speeches. “I cannot understand: an MP should have the same equal rights as the prime minister. People elect legislators, especially opposition MPs, don’t they? If you pressurize a lawmaker, the energy will flow out from another place,” the HAK lawmaker said. Everyone in the hall, including Bagratyan, began to laugh at this. “We should increase the role of the opposition. Does the bill allow a lawmaker to press forward with his initiative?” he added. Bagratyan also expressed his surprise at the fact that a leader of a parliamentary faction can vote for a lawmaker in accordance with his mandate. “What is the meaning of this innovation? Who has the right to vote instead of a lawmaker? I have got the impression that the parliamentary majority is creating guarantees for itself. Besides, no one has the right to oust a lawmaker from the faction; a lawmaker has his own opinion which should be respected.”
