Levon Kocharyan, Newly Seated MP, Declares 'Change of Government' as Top Priority

Levon Kocharyan, recently sworn in as an MP, officially began his parliamentary duties at the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia during its regular session on Tuesday. As the successor to Armen Charchyan, who relinquished his parliamentary seat, Kocharyan, son of Second President Robert Kocharyan, stepped into his new role in the assembly.

The transfer of the vacant parliamentary seat to Levon Kocharyan occurred after the next three candidates on the proportional representation electoral list of the "Armenia" bloc submitted self-revocation petitions to the Central Electoral Commission. This action cemented Kocharyan's position within the "Armenia" Faction in the NA.

Addressing reporters in the National Assembly hallway, Levon Kocharyan voiced his priorities and opinions. He expressed a firm stance on the necessity for a change in government, highlighting the urgency of securing the release of illegally detained individuals.

"Our priority is the change of government," stated Levon Kocharyan. "It is crucial that all those unlawfully detained are released at the earliest."

Amid his priorities for governmental transformation, Kocharyan anticipated potential provocations from members of the Civil Contract Party (current ruling party), suggesting that provocations might be aimed at inciting physical altercations to prompt legal actions against him. Downplaying such attempts, Kocharyan asserted the need for composure and indicated that such conflicts were unwelcome, stating, "If they wish to engage in confrontations, there are more appropriate places for that."

Regarding the Artsakh issue, Kocharyan adopted a resolute stance, asserting that the matter should not be perceived as concluded. He emphasized the importance of maintaining an open perspective towards Artsakh, attributing blame for its loss to the Armenian government.

"The government of Armenia is primarily responsible," he emphasized, highlighting the significance of preserving Artsakh's subjectivity and refraining from closing the chapter on its future.

On a separate conversation with journalists, Kocharyan light-heartedly regarded recent events involving his alleged mistreatment and subsequent arrest as absurd, portraying the situation as a farce. While acknowledging the alleged torture by four policemen, Kocharyan found the subsequent arrest and court's reasoning regarding his potential to commit further crimes while outside to be incongruous and humorous.

"All this was just a joke. Everything that happened was absurd," chuckled Levon Kocharyan, making light of the situation while subtly criticizing the perceived absurdity of the legal proceedings.