YEREVAN. – The violence committed in the National Assembly on May 8 was not only unequivocally not condemned by the authorities, but was justified, legitimized, and encouraged at the level of the number one political person in charge of the Republic of Armenia. Opposition Bright Armenia Party noted this in a statement, which also reads as follows, in particular:

"The violence was justified by trying to link it to some conspiratorial 'provocation.'

A situation was deliberately created when the victim of the violence, not the perpetrator, is the culprit.

What happened proves that it took only two years for the revolutionary prime minister to once and for all level to the ground and dismantle the ideas, values, and principles proclaimed by the same revolution.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's speech [at parliament after that incident] was completely manipulative and false—based on no fact.

Thus, the Prime Minister deliberately labels Bright Armenia as a representative of the "former [authorities]" in order to justify in the eyes of his supporters the hooliganistic behavior of his MPs.

This incident and the comments that followed are clear evidence of the ruling team's intolerance and political immaturity.

This is a manifestation of totalitarian thinking, the final destination of which is tough authoritarianism.

The Bright Armenia Party (…) condemns what happened.

We are ready to face all challenges (…).”

To note, on May 8, a brawl took place in the National Assembly sessions’ hall between Edmon Marukyan, leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party and its parliamentary faction, and Sasun Mikaelyan, an MP of the ruling My Step bloc. Subsequently, several other deputies, as well as NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan and Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan also were involved in this melee.