Opposition MP vows strong rebuff to government's inaction amid coronavirus crisis

The opposition Bright Armenia party's leader on Thursday criticized the government for mishandling the coronavirus crisis, promising strong efforts, on the part of a recently created investigative panel, to resolve all the failures and shortcomings and tp establish accountability measures against those guilty.

Edmon Marukyan, who heads the commission tasked with probing the details behind the government's fight against COVID-19, said they are determined to resolve all the breaches and omissions to submit their findings to the National Assembly. Meantime predicted real chances of several government officials' resignation.

"We have been repeatedly making proposals over the period in an effort to pursue an effective fight against the pandemic. As we were looking at international experience, we proposed that the flights with Italy be suspended and the border with Iran be closed. But that wasn't being done; they [the authorities] protracted [the anti-epidemic measures] for a fortnight to pursue the campaign [for the constitutional referendum]. As a result, we had the first infection in Armenia," he said in a televised interview given as part of the #bRightTalk series.

As an example of the best international practice, the politician cited the situation in Georgia, which he said managed to contain the virus by enforcing timely restrictions (closing the international borders for a short period, etc.).

"At the time, we were permanently raising proposals, which were being realized only in part - or with a fortnight's delay, making [all the measures] pointless. Many political forces were simply keeping silence while we were amid heated debates criticizing the authorities. All that culminated in the repulsive assault against me and our [team].

"Later, those [political] forces which started saying the same things never condemned the violence against us. What they did instead was piecing together all our texts to say the same, adding only that the prime minister must hand in a resignation, and the government must change."

Marukyan said he hopes that the political figures who were once opposition activists will have a full understanding of the false start element in any public demand which is unfeasible and "creates no public aura".

"All we say is we will create an investigative panel to probe into the violations committed. As a result, the commission will submit a conclusion to the parliament to name the responsible figures who must resign," he added.