December 23, 2013 - 15:00 AMT
Gas deals with Russia ratified by show of hands

The Armenian-Russian agreement for supply of gas, oil products, unrefined diamonds, and sale of the 20% ArmRosGazprom shares to Russia was ratified at a special parliament sitting Dec 23.

Members of the Armenian National Congress, Heritage, ARFD opposition factions and Prosperous Armenia party left the boardroom during the vote. 77 MPs (out of 120) stayed in the boardroom to vote for ratification of gas deals.

Somehow, the members of opposition managed to walk off with vote ballots so the vote was held by show of hands.

Further, the work of the parliament was interrupted when 3 demonstrators broke into the boardroom.

In another incident at parliament’s press center, several journalists who were standing behind a glass wall watching the vote, caused a distraction by knocking their hands against the glass. Security workers were instructed to deal with the incident.