On July 24, Petros Ghazaryan’s guest on Public TV was Andranik Kocharyan, a member of the “My Step” fraction, chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security. The topic of the discussion was the conclusions of recent Tavush events. The conversation, however, was mostly about the representatives of the former government. The commentator and the guest mocked some of the former authorities, first anonymously, then certain names were mentioned.
Petros Ghazaryan presented his position when asking his first question, describing the government-opposition relations as follows: “Before, sometimes, now, often, they go beyond the acceptable limits.” Andranik Kocharyan answered: “Among the critics one may see the former prime minister, who has always stood out with his careless expressions, starting with the stories about cows, and this time he even made a careless expression that if he was the leader on the enemy he would take Armenia. So, today he became a target for the society as that expression did not come true, but the attack of the enemy took place. Another Prime Minister, who also described the situation in Armenia a few days ago, teaches at our Institute of Government (referring to RA Public Administration Academy). I do not really understand, his lectures refer to how one can destroy the country, as, according to them everything is bad in the country. That person is Khosrov Harutyunyan. “Years ago, when he was prime minister, on one occasion, when he was presenting the government’s program, he opposed actually opposed the program presented by him.” Levon Ter-Petrosyan very justly immediately signed a decree to dismiss him from office.”
After the former prime ministers, the former defense ministers were discussed. Petros Ghazaryan mocked: “Seyran Ohanyan behaves very dignified”, Andranik Kocharyan, in his turn, mocked Vigen Sargsyan․ “He is always into learning, he left the country after announcing the concept of a “nation-army” and never returned.” The pro-government MP then remembered Artak Zakaryan․ “Recently, he was hosted by Satik Seyranyan, he was talking about the army. During the comparisons with 2016, he made a very careless statement that “X” number of drones were shot down, it does not correspond to reality.” The latter referred to the former ambassador Mikayel Minasyan as well: “As far as the systems we have acquired are concerned, our famous son-in-law, discredited the systems we have acquired from the jungles, the forest foothills. Not to see the achievements is nothing but ominosity.”
“Media Advocate” initiative considers such a non-constructive talk on Public TV, which was more like a gossip, shameful. Criticism must be substantiated. Such a conversation can not help solve any problem, as long as it is based on hate speech.
