Opposition not to heed Davit Tonoyan’s call to attend investigative committee meetings

Today, at the meeting of the investigative committee set up
by the NA, Former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, who is under arrest, called
on the Opposition members to at least take part in the closed meeting as he had
something to say, which according to him would interest the Opposition
members.   

“We have already expressed our position regarding our
participation in the activities of the investigative committee under the NA,
which in fact is not investigative in nature, but is aimed at drawing a veil
over the truth about the war. And this position of ours is not subject to
change,” ARF member, MP Kristine Vardanyan from the opposing NA Armenia
alliance said this to ABC Media.

According to MP Kristine Vardanyan, they do not participate
in the meeting of the investigative committee on the grounds that Nikol
Pashinyan and his team cannot carry out the investigation of their own actions.
Moreover, they cannot do it impartially. 

“Our participation or non-participation is not
determined by the names of officials attending the meeting of the investigative
committee,” Vardanyan noted.

Referring to Tonoyan’s statement, the MP added: “I do
not think that Davit Tonoyan is someone who can present Dashnaktsutyun with an
ultimatum. He had better say if he upholds his position taken right after the
war. He used to fully justify Nikol Pashinyan’s actions. If he has something to
say, he is given the chance to do that now. After all, instead of impartially
expressing his point of view, what he does seems to be aimed at legitimizing
the activities of the committee and justifying Nikol Pashinyan’s actions. 

As Vardanyan noted, instead of referring to the ARF and the
RPA, Davit Tonoyan has to refer to a number of other issues. 

“He had better mention who the actual guilty party is.
Instead, he helps to absolve the guilty party of every responsibility,”
the MP concluded.

In response to ABC Media’s question, MP Hayk Mamijanyan from
the opposing NA With Honor faction, refused to comment on Davit Tonoyan’s
statement. He noted that they had already announced their decision not to
participate in the meeting of the investigative committee twice. According to
the MP, their decision has not changed either. They are not going to attend the
meetings of the committee investigating the 44-day war.