The special session of Akhalkalak’s Regional Assembly will not take place because of lack of quorum. The Assembly was to discuss a statement on recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Lawmaker had drafted a statement on recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which was to be discussed ahead of April 24, but three of the 13 signatories withdrew their signatures at the last moment, Chairman of Akhalkalak Regional Assembly Hamlet Movsisyan told Public Radio of Armenia.
Norik Karapetyan, member of the Council of Armenian NGOs of Samtskhe Javakhk and Kvemo Kartli, which had initiated the statement, says “the MPs called off the signatures under pressure.” “Other MPs say it’s not the right time… but we want the country we live in to acknowledge the past of genocide,” he said.
According to Hamlet Movsisyan, the lawmakers withdrew their signatories, saying they were not familiar with the text of the statement when signing.
Movsisyan was the first to raise the issue of Armenian Genocide at the Georgian Parliament, calling to pay tribute to the memory of the victims with a minute of silence.
Grigor Tsormutyan, one of the MPs that withdrew the signature, said “it’s not the right time” and assured there had been no pressures. “The statement would not help anyway. On the contrary, Georgia is not yet ready for that, while we are still too dependent,” he said.
Had the Regional Assembly of Akhalkalak, they would later be able to address the Georgian President and the Parliament.
