I have discussed with the head of my parliamentary faction the matter of my business trip to Moscow as part of the delegation led by president Alen Simonyan of the parliament. Taguhi Tovmasyan, an MP of the opposition "With Honor" Faction, stated this Friday during the traditional press briefings at the National Assembly of Armenia.

The lawmaker was asked, in particular, why she and another "With Honor" Faction member, Ishkhan Zakaryan, were sent to Moscow as part of the Armenian parliamentary delegation led by Simonyan, especially if we take into account the fact that the "With Honor" Faction is suspected of collaborating with the incumbent Armenian authorities.

"That question must be answered by the one who forms this or that delegation. I have discussed that with the head of our parliamentary faction, and only I am accountable for my steps. After all, that is not surprising; the MPs can be part of a parliamentary delegation," Tovmasyan said.

As for relations with the authorities, the lawmaker reminded about her recent political past.

"Yes, I was a member of the ruling ‘My Step’ parliamentary faction [in the previous legislature], but I have left [it]. And if I wanted to have something in common with the current authorities, I would have continued to stay in ‘My Steps.’ I was not constrained by anything at that time," the now opposition MP emphasized.