Parents of missing soldiers dissatisfied with parliament meeting

PanARMENIAN.Net - A closed discussion in Armenia’s National Assembly, attended by families of missing soldiers and government officials, lasted about five hours. Andranik Kocharyan, head of the parliamentary defense committee and the commission investigating the 44-day war, described the meeting as constructive and said further discussions would follow.

"It was a constructive discussion and important for all of us," Kocharyan stated, adding that another meeting is planned in a month, by which time some issues will be resolved, Armenpress reports.

Kocharyan admitted that many of the raised questions remain unanswered, requiring further efforts to address them. He acknowledged the complexity of the issue but emphasized the need for joint efforts to find solutions.

"I believe this must be approached with heart and soul. If even one fate can be saved, everything must be done to achieve that," he said, calling the process painful and challenging, requiring patience and unity.

National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan also noted that while the meeting could not provide final answers, the process would continue.

The meeting was attended by National Security Service Director Armen Abazyan, his deputy Andranik Simonyan, Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, Military Prosecutor Grigor Elizbaryan, Investigative Committee Chairman Artur Poghosyan, Deputy Defense Minister Arman Sargsyan, Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan, Armenia’s representative on international legal matters Yeghishe Kirakosyan, and other officials.

Following the closed session, parents of missing soldiers expressed dissatisfaction, stating that their questions remained unanswered and some key issues were not addressed at all.

"As long as our questions remain unanswered, we are dissatisfied—what else can we be?" said Azat Gevorgyan, father of a missing soldier, Armlur.am reports.

Arsen Ghukasyan, uncle of missing soldier Sarkis Ghukasyan, also stated that no comprehensive answers were provided. He criticized Speaker Simonyan for allegedly telling parents they could leave if they were unhappy with the meeting’s format.

"The format was flawed from the beginning. When we raised this issue, we were told to accept what was given. Alen Simonyan said, 'If you don’t like the format, you can leave.' We debated whether to stay or go, but in the end, we stayed to get answers. And what did we hear? Just words. Nothing has changed in 4.5 years," said Ghukasyan.

According to him, one of the most critical issues—the DNA testing of remains—was not discussed at all.

"We tentatively agreed to meet again in 30 days. Hopefully, they will be better prepared, as even the head of the Investigative Committee was unprepared to answer our questions today," he emphasized.

Previously, Andranik Kocharyan had stated that National Security Service Director Armen Abazyan would present a special report during the discussion. Members of the opposition Armenia and I Have Honor factions also participated in the meeting.

At the end of December 2024, relatives of missing soldiers blocked Baghramyan Avenue, demanding a meeting with officials who could answer their questions.