David Babayan: Should we keep silent when someone dishonors people? (video)
“Knowing him [Hayk Khanumyan] well enough I could expect such a development one day. The attack cannot be prompted by political motives. He just finds problems with others and is always involved in provocations because of his temper and behaviour,” NKR President’s Spokesman David Babayan told A1+ speaking about the attack on NKR opposition lawmaker Hayk Khanumyan. Babayan says this is not the first time such a thing happens to Khanumyan. “Unfortunately, I know him [Khanumyan] personally and I am well aware of his personality.” Asked whether he saw any political context behind the attack, Mr Babayan said, “No, I see none. We have many opposition lawmakers who are not less critical of others but they never offend anyone. This is Karabakh and you deal with people who have lived through war and one cannot speculate his being oppositionist. He [Khanumyan] might have done wrong to someone or insulted someone who could not bear the offense.” On June 6, Khanumyan announced that an initiative group had been set up in the NKR to push for the appointment of former commander of the NKR Defense Army Samvel Babayan as the country’s defense minister. Asked whether the attack could be linked to his statement, “Do you think Defense Minister is a head of a village who is elected? Laws must be respected. Do we live in 1917? And do not confuse this with Bolshevik Revolution [in 1917] when commanders were elected. What do they mean by saying they demand that Samvel Babayan be appointed Defense Minister? That demand will naturally produce no results since it's a provocation,” David Babayan said. In reply to out next observation that many political figures in Artsakh say that they do not have real opposition in the country, the NKR President’s Spokesman said, “We do have opposition. The so-called opposition forces should try their best not to be discredited. Should we keep silent when someone dishonors people? I repeat that unfortunately I know him and I have helped a lot that … I cannot even call him a person… I know who I am dealing with; I know what kind of man he is… I think he has done it deliberately in order to give a political color. .."
