Armenian parliament speaker responds to Serzh Sargsyan's remarks

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan commented on the ongoing discussions about the formation of a coalition in Gyumri following the municipal elections. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Simonyan stressed that the ruling Civil Contract party, which received the most votes, should appoint the new mayor.

"Reasonably, the political group which gained most of the votes should also elect the mayor. I don’t believe alternative arrangements, such as a coalition formed overnight, would effectively govern the city," the speaker said.

Responding to a question about whether opposition members in Gyumri’s City Council might support the Civil Contract party's mayoral candidate, Simonyan stated that the final decision lies with the opposition forces.

Simonyan reiterated his earlier statement regarding former Gyumri mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, asserting that Ghukasyan "belongs in prison".

“The fact that he is not in prison yet is our collective failure,” the speaker added.

Simonyan also responded to former President Serzh Sargsyan’s recent remarks made during the Republican Party of Armenia’s jubilee session. “Don’t tie the donkey you kissed to our door,” Sargsyan had said.

Simonyan dismissed the comments, saying: “I think he’s still stuck in a debate with Robert Kocharyan over who brought the Civil Contract party to power. He still hasn’t realized that now it is the people of Armenia who decide who holds power, not someone kissing someone else to get them there.”