The officials included Argishti Kyaramian, the head of the Investigative Committee who clashed with Aghazarian during a parliamentary hearing in Yerevan last month. Kyaramian lost his temper after Aghazarian accused the Investigative Committee of trying to bully citizens with unjustified arrests or threats of them.
The two men insulted each other and nearly came to blows on the parliament floor. Kyaramian’s behavior was also denounced by other parliament deputies representing the ruling Civil Contract party. One of them, Narek Zeynalian, resigned from the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Multiple media outlets reported earlier this week that Pashinian texted resignation orders to not only the six officials but also Zeynalian and Aghazarian. The latter denied receiving such an order and said he has no plans yet to give up his parliament seat.
“Within our team, I’m a beloved and respected deputy, and if I do something wrong my younger colleagues can easily reprimand me. I accept and immediately take all that into account,” Aghazarian told reporters.
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks at a congress of his Civil Contract party, Yerevan, October 29, 2022.
Meeting on Tuesday evening, Civil Contract’s governing board headed by Pashinian discussed Aghazarian’s behavior during the bust-up with Kyaramian. Some board members asked the lawmaker to comment on Kyaramian’s claims that he was twice asked by unnamed intermediaries to stop criminal proceedings against Aghazarian’s son. The ruling party has not yet announced the outcome of its disciplinary proceedings against Aghazarian.
In what may have been a related development, another Armenian law-enforcement agency, the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC), questioned Aghazarian on Monday as part of a criminal investigation into Armenian businessmen exporting livestock to the United Arab Emirates. He is reportedly suspected of illegal influence peddling for them.
Aghazarian is known for his flamboyant and blunt statements. In particular, he declared in July that he needs to keep receiving his parliamentary salary in the years to come in order to repay his mortgage used for buying a new apartment. The 64-year-old said on Wednesday that he sees nothing wrong with that admission.
“Apart from being a great patriot, a great statesman and apart from thinking only about our state, homeland and people, I also think about myself a little,” he explained.
Aghazarian said at the same time that he will not keep a low profile and avoid criticizing officials to retain his parliament seat and the resulting income.