Now I not only promise to return, but I also promise to return to the 10th cell of the 7th building of the Nubarashen CEI. Armen Ashotyan
Armen Ashotyan’s speech, vice-chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), a political prisoner, during the discussion of the issue of allowing him to participate in the congress of the largest European political family, the European People’s Party (EPP).
“I will skip the part where you had a conversation with Mr. Atanesyan, even though you mentioned my name. I don’t want to mix relevant and non-relevant issues together. While discussing the issue of your challenge, I will definitely refer to some observations of the conversation between you and Mr. Atanesyan. Regarding the invitation voiced by Mr. Melikyan, first of all, I want to say that at the stage of the preliminary investigation, as Mr. Melikyan referred to the opinions of the international community, this criminal prosecution and the obstacles related to me should be seen as pure political persecution, obstruction of political activity.
Whether some people like it or not, it is, unfortunately, the bitter reality, and whether some people like it or not, they see it outside and also record it. During this time, I have been prevented from participating in three or four important European gatherings during the investigation phase. This is the first time that I am applying for such a motion during the trial stage. How does this matter, because the European People’s Party (EPP) is the largest ruling party in Europe? The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is a member of that party, with who the person representing the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia meets. The speaker of the European Parliament, Roberta Mezzola, is a member of that party, with who the person representing the Prime Minister of Armenia meets. The political majority in the European Parliament is within that party. It is the largest fraction. Heads of 7 or 8 states of the European Union are members of that party. With that party, the Civil Contract occupational force in Armenia is at state and, I will say later, at what other levels. I mean, it’s not like this is really something.
This is precisely the convention of the European Union’s No. 1 ruling political power. Let’s highlight this. It is important that an alternative opinion be heard from Armenia on national and state issues, starting with Nagorno Karabakh, ending with today’s security challenges of Armenia, the aggressive policies of the Azerbaijani leadership towards the Armenian people and Armenia, which remain unpunished. In other words, it is the place where the most influential ruling people of Europe will gather. It is important to go there and talk about the primary issues concerning our nation, i.e., security, foreign policy, Artsakh issue, etc. The Republican Party has been working with this party since 2009. I am the person in charge of external relations in our party, that honour has been reserved for me until today. We have been a member of the EPP since 2012, and such a platform is a unique opportunity for the presentation of nationwide interests for those politicians, political forces that have ties with that platform, for your humble servant. It is important to go there to present national-state issues.
Secondly, it is important because this gathering, as mentioned in the invitation, is pre-election, i.e., the party will make important decisions regarding the tactics of their pre-election programs, and although Armenia is not a member of the European Union, the presence of the Armenian Diaspora in many European countries also provides that, in the case of properly mobilizing the Armenian factor, the Armenian agenda will have an impact on the European political agenda. And from this point of view, I also consider it important to participate in this big pre-election rally. I was appointed the head of the delegation of the Republican Party because President Serzh Sargsyan cannot participate in that meeting, and I, as the vice-president of sectoral, including international affairs and a member of the political assembly of the European People’s Party since 2012, together with Mr. Mamijanyan, have that opportunity, the connections, the ability to continue presenting the national-state interests of Armenia and the Armenian people at such high political platforms.
The third point, which is important, and here I draw the attention of the court, the Civil Contract party, according to the information that I obtained, started the membership process of the European People’s Party, which is currently hidden, but in fact has already gained momentum, using the opportunity that I, as the vice-chairman of the RPA, who is responsible for these connections, I have been in prison for 9 months and missed 4-5 important events. The Civil Contract party has engaged in the membership process of the European People’s Party, including campaigning to discredit the Republican Party in Brussels by spreading false, manipulative, false news, and also the CC is trying to neutralize the political influence of that party, the EPP, with this case of the evaluations, because the EPP is the political force that clearly recognized me as a political prisoner, for example, together with Alexei Navalny.
God keep me from that fate. However, it is a fact. Therefore, my participation in this conference as the RPA vice-president and honorary head of the RPA is based on the imperative of relations with the European ruling political elite, clarifying what the Armenian side has to say, correctly presenting and justifying our national-state interests in the context of Armenia’s many foreign political and security challenges.
Let me tell you more. I not only promise to return to Armenia. It’s funny, but it has to be said. We have that experience within this case. Once, in December, the investigator investigating the case allowed me to participate in the European international conference on the Artsakh issue, and all these heavy, terrible accusations, with which we still cannot find a victim, were on me. I went to Vienna, came back in 3 days. Now I not only promise to return, but I promise to return to the 10th cell of the 7th building of the Nubarashen CEI, so that you have no doubt that this issue is not raised in order to change my restraining order. We have many other grounds and occasions, legal requirements to change the restraining order. I promise to return to Armenia, my current cell of Nubarashen CEI, after working there, advancing Armenian interests, to return to my cell, to enter those 4 walls again, until I continue to fight for justice on other legal grounds. Moreover, if it is needed, you can also set some compelling collateral if it can be an additional condition or justification. Let me repeat again, we are only talking about the possibility of a 4-day working visit, counting the journey. I am not going with my personal issues, I am going with national-state issues.
Sorry for the immodesty, taking into account many justifications, I will definitely do it well, better than the people who represent and conduct the foreign policy of Armenia today, and after 4 days I will return, enter my cell again. We are talking, I repeat, about 4-5 working days: 2.5 working days, one day to travel, one day to return. Bucharest is not far. You can warn Interpol at the same time Who knows, what can be done to be sure that I will come back, I will enter my cell in Nubarashen CEI, because, once again, this is not an occasion to change the restraining order, this is an important opportunity to advance national and state interests for where I have a tangible contribution and opportunities to continue to serve my state and my nation even under these circumstances. Therefore I request you to consider this opportunity with this complex in mind.
