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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged caution over introducing penalties for statements about the army and state institutions, stressing the importance of democracy and civilian oversight of the armed forces.
Pashinyan made the remarks in response to MP Sarik Minasyan during a government question-and-answer session in the National Assembly.
The MP proposed discussing administrative and, in some cases, criminal liability for political and public figures who make disparaging statements about the army and state institutions.
Pashinyan said he understood the MP’s feelings but warned that such initiatives could carry risks.
“We must be very careful when discussing such matters and initiatives because they could significantly harm democracy, which is of fundamental importance to us. It is important that the armed forces remain under civilian oversight,” the prime minister said.
He recalled the previous approach of avoiding discussion of the army, noting that its consequences had been evident. In Pashinyan’s assessment, such an approach could create a smokescreen around real problems.
The prime minister stressed that voters’ judgement should be the principal mechanism for holding people accountable for political statements.
“This is precisely how democracy should work: people must answer for what they say here, but at elections,” Pashinyan said.
He said the opposition referred to by the MP had already received its answer in local elections and now had to decide whether to continue acting in the same way.
“Political forces also answer for their words in all cases. And they must do so at elections. Accountability should be political rather than administrative or criminal, except in circumstances recognised in all democratic countries,” the prime minister concluded.