Public Council of Armenia slams Russian ambassador’s statement

The Public Council of Armenia described the recent statement of Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin as improper.
“While attaching importance to strategic relations of our country with Russia and even considering this issue in the context of tense relations between the West and Russia, we nevertheless deem the Russian ambassador’s statement to be improper and inadmissible,” Public Council said in a statement.

We would remind you that in an interview with Russian-language Armenian newspaper ‘Noyev Kovcheg” based in Moscow, Ivan Volynkin spoke in favor of regulating the activities of Armenian NGOs, after the example of Russia.

“Russia needs to more actively make its presence felt in Armenia’s information field. There can be no doubt about that. But it is evidently necessary to use other methods as well to neutralize those NGOs in Armenia that want to drive a wedge in Russian-Armenian relations,” the ambassador said.

Public Council considers strengthening the network of civil NGOs having different approaches and positions as an important achievement and a guarantee of the development of democratic institutions in Armenia.
 

"Public Council will continue active work aimed at defending freedom of speech, pluralism and development of democratic institutions," the statement reads.