Opposition MP demands pro-government colleague's resignation over offensive remarks

Opposition MP Taguhi Tovmasyan has called for the resignation of her pro-government colleague Artur Hovhannisyan over offensive remarks, accusing him of breaching parliamentary ethics.

The dispute erupted after Tovmasyan proposed mandatory drug testing for the MP. In response, Hovhannisyan launched personal attacks, suggesting she should undergo daily STD tests and questioning the origins of her assets.

“Artur Hovhannisyan has crossed a red line. Neither an apology nor the creation of an ethics committee can erase this disgrace. He must resign his parliament seat. I will ensure he is held accountable,” Tovmasyan said in a statement on Friday.

She thanked fellow MPs, civil society groups and others who condemned what she described as Hovhannisyan’s “hooligan behavior”. Tovmasyan emphasized that her drug-testing proposal was lawful, noting that similar requirements are already in place for medical workers.

The opposition MP also criticized the ruling Civil Contract party’s silence, calling it “a dangerous legitimization” of such conduct and faulted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for failure to respond.