V. Baghdasaryan: Dmitry Kiselev is only private individual

Director General of Russia Today news agency Dmitry Kiselev is only a private individual, rather than an official representative of Russia so he is not to be taken seriously, the head of the parliamentary faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Vahram Baghdasaryan said today during a briefing in the parliament when commenting on D. Kiselev’s statements at the June 11 meeting of the Russian-Armenian Parliamentary Club in Yerevan.

"The Armenian authorities have never denied the necessity of teaching foreign languages in the country, and Russia can assist with the implementation of Russian language programs in Armenia. We want the new generation to know as many languages as possible. As for rumors that a taxi driver cannot speak Russian, I don’t take it seriously and don’t attach importance to it,” the HHK faction head said.

He added that he was not present at the meeting with Kiselev, otherwise he would give an appropriate answer.

In response to a remark that although Kiselev was a private individual, he was given quite a sumptuous reception in the Armenian parliament, the faction head replied: “I don’t think the reception was very sumptuous. But he was received by the vice speaker Ms. Hermine Naghdalyan who is the chairwoman of the Armenian-Russian Inter-Parliamentary Commission. Besides, the vice speaker expressed a definite opinion on that issue. On the whole, hospitality is a good tradition,” V. Baghdasaryan noted.

Director General of Russia Today Dmitry Kiselev said in the Armenian parliament that “the Russian language is a departing reality in Armenia” and that the number of Russian schools does not increase in the country. In his opinion, the gradual departure of Russian culture and language from Armenian reality is a security problem for the republic so it is necessary to promote jointly the Russian language and culture in the country and change the law on language in Armenia’s security interests”.