David Harutyunain: Postanjian didn’t pursue anti-Armenian policy

Removal of Zaruhi Postanjian from the Armenian delegation to the PACE is out of the question, we can now speak only about changes in the delegation’s composition, the head of the Armenian delegation to the PACE David Harutyunian told reporters today, when speaking about the recent notorious incident in the PACE.

He declined to comment on the issue, noting that it is within the competence of National Assembly speaker Hovik Abrahamian, but “the composition of the delegation should be balanced,” D. Harutyuinian said, adding that the procedure allows electing delegation members by rotation. “There are permanent and rotating members of the delegation. By political tradition, if any of the four permanent members don’t ask questions, other members may ask questions, which is a manifestation of democracy”.

“It would be strange if a member of the ruling party put a question to the leader of their party, in this case to the head of the country. At that time two persons – Zaruhi Postanjian and Levon Zurabian were included in the list of deputies to put their questions to the Armenian president,” David Harutyunian explained.

He reminded reporters that during the previous speech of Serzh Sargsyan in the PACE, the same Z. Postanjian also asked a burning question so “I am amazed that Postanjian’s question caused such a sensation”.

As regards his own opinion, D. Harutyunian noted that freedom of expression is one of the most important rights, but one should not forget that there are also restrictions concerning the rules of conduct.

“In my opinion, it was an unprecedented case in the PACE. But I should say that some political figures behave in a similar way in order to ensure wide media coverage and to seem more pro-opposition. I have a negative opinion about such scandalous conduct,” David Harutyunian said, noting that Postanjian’s question contained an insult.

In his words, the greatest blow was delivered to the Armenian opposition: “it is not by such a posture that the opposition can be considered sensible”.

As regards a possible decline of the Armenian president’s ratings because of Postanjian’s question, D. Harutyunian said that Serzh Sargsyan has discussed more difficult questions and it is impossible to make him fall into a trap by such primitive methods: “There have been no negative consequences. On the contrary, everyone said that S. Sargsyan behaved like a skillful president”.

In conclusion, D. Harutyunian said that although they have opposite political views, Z. Postanjian didn’t conduct an anti-Armenian policy, but she just asked a question that worried her.