Armenian National Assembly Speaker Ruben Rubinyan has rejected opposition allegations of political repression, pointing to previous electoral defeats of the ruling Civil Contract party and arrests of officials affiliated with it.
Rubinyan said Civil Contract had lost local elections in several communities since coming to power, including during periods of high public support, 1lurer.am reports.
“Back in 2018, we lost several times in Kapan and Abovyan, as well as in Gyumri, Masis and Goris. We have now won in Goris,” he said.
Responding to claims concerning the detention of opposition community leaders, Rubinyan cited cases involving officials affiliated with the ruling party, including the head of the Meghri community.
“So is Civil Contract repressing itself? Civil Contract ministers have been detained, as have the chairman of the Urban Development Committee, a deputy minister, another minister and a mayor. So it is unfair to accuse us of political repression,” he said.
Rubinyan also criticized some opposition forces for not contesting recent local elections and urged them to participate in upcoming votes.
“What should I do? Go and bang on Narek Karapetyan’s door and say, ‘Please, run for office’? Find someone from their faction and ask them to run? What repression? I urge our opposition colleagues: there are still local elections ahead. I call on you to participate,” he said.
Rubinyan also addressed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s proposal for what he described as a new, state-centered opposition. He said political forces could either accept what the ruling party considers the new rules of democratic competition or remain within what he called the “old way of thinking.”
“Some have accepted those rules, some have decided to become a reactionary force, and others have decided to defend stolen assets and illegally acquired property. Therefore, those who have decided to remain within the old way of thinking are our class opponents,” Rubinyan said.
Local elections were held in 21 Armenian communities on October 25. Civil Contract won in most of them, while the Gortsarar party received the largest number of votes in Stepanavan.
