Right after the revolution, some people thought they could become Nikol Pashinyan’s personal oligarchs and local criminal representatives, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan told reporters on October 22.

“Out of 10 people, about 8 or 9 were reaching out to the authorities, expressing willingness to serve us. And at that moment, they were not opposition figures. These people will sit quietly in their places, and if they speak up, I will remind them that they met with me at a café near my house and urged me to work with another person they came with,” he stressed.

According to Simonyan, many former high-ranking officials and ministers offered their services to the current authorities.

“Such people have existed, exist, and will continue to exist. And if they don’t want me to name names, they’d better sit quietly,” Simonyan added.

He also said that four months ago he had declared that “Vardan Ghukasyan’s place is in prison.”

“Who are you defending? In Shirak, the ‘Civil Contract’ faction received the most votes, and then three or four factions united (and elected the city mayor),” Simonyan noted.

He added that there are people who mistakenly believe that they can hide behind political positions after committing crimes.

Simonyan also called the rumors that Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan is eyeing his position “ridiculous.”