Tensions Rise as Ruling Party Lawmaker Says ARF Must be ‘Eradicated’

A proposed change by Armenia’s Justice Ministry to the text of the oath taken by government officials sparked a heated exchange on the floor of the parliament on Tuesday, leading to a ruling party lawmaker to call for the eradication of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

The Justice Ministry has proposed that a section in the current text of the oath, which states “for the sake of realizing National aspiration and strengthening the homeland,” be replaced with “for the sake of the perpetuity, independence, sovereignty, and development of the Republic of Armenia.” In other words, the Justice Ministry is proposing to remove the terms “homeland” and “National aspirations” and replace the term “homeland” with the “Republic of Armenia.”

This proposed change has angered opposition lawmakers who argued that the ruling Civil Contract Party has an issue with the word “homeland,” while they claim that the words “homeland” and “Republic of Armenia” are synonymous.

The floor discussion took a turn when Arman Yeghoyan, a Civil Contract lawmaker, targeted Kristen Vardanyan, a member of the opposition Armenia Alliance who is also an ARF member.

“The ARF must be eradicated from Armenian political thought,” Yeghoyan said from the parliament rostrum. “Kristine Vardanyan must be the last ARF member,” he added, asserting that this is a fundamental necessity for Armenia’s enduring existence, independence, and sovereignty.

In response ARF lawmakers compared Yeghoyan to the Young Turks, which masterminded the Armenian Genocide.

“Just as the Turks used to say that only one Armenian should exist—and in a museum—you are now saying that only one ARF member should remain,” said Artur Khachatryan, an ARF lawmaker representing the Armenia Alliance.

Vardanyan, meanwhile, compared Yeghoyan to a Young Bolshevik.

“You delivered a fascist speech,” Vardanyan told Yeghoyan. “Yes, just as the Turks wanted to leave only one Armenian in the world, you repeated the exact same thing. But just as the Turks failed in their plan, you will not succeed either. You are ‘Young Bolshevik.’ You have targeted the same people as the Young Turks and are using the same tactics engrained in the Bolshevik mindset.”

Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan attempted to defuse the escalating situation. While acknowledging that Yeghoyan’s remarks were “aggressive,” Rubinyan attempted to rephrase his fellow party member’s controversial claim that “Kristine Vardanyan should be the last Dashnaktsakan.”

Rubinyan said Yeghoyan could have said that Vardanyan should be the last—or the first—ARF member to accept the “concept of the ‘Real Armenia’” and “bid farewell to harmful ARF ideals.”

Not much of a diffusion.