Armenia’s vice speaker acknowledges NSS wiretapping illegal, describes the content as “shame”

Armenia’s National Assembly vice speaker Eduard Sharmazanov wanted to listen to Prime Minister Pashinyan after the leaked wiretapped conversation between the NSS director and SIS chief.

Speaking to reporters today, Sharmazanov said he wanted to know whether Pashinyan has given any orders relating to March 1 case or not.

“Yesterday I only heard manipulation of facts by Pashinyan who started shouting at us with unknown reason,” Sharmazanov stated at a briefing.

Referring to the statements that the bodyguards of oligarchs should be disarmed, Sharmazanov stressed that all those who have illegal arms should be disarmed.

“I insist that I have not heard any adequate speech by the premier. I have heard shouting, may be panic, may be manipulation of facts, attempts to send the ball to other field,” Sharmazanov stressed, adding that one should not mix the dry with wet.

He said the wiretapping is illegal but the content of the conversation is a “shame”.

“What does it mean to tell the judge rule detention decision, what does it mean close Khachaturov, what does it mean the premier said close him? Let us for a moment forget who the NA chairman, premier is, Mr Pashinyan, what would you say if  you were opposition vice speaker and this conversation would have taken place between Gorik Hakobyan (ex NSS director) and Vahram Shahinian,” Sharmazanov asked.