Former Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian, facing charges of embezzling funds earmarked by the Huntsman family, rose to his own defense in Armenia’s parliament today.

Oskanian, currently serving as a Prosperous Armenia Party MP, stated that a portion of the earmarked funds wnt directly to the Civilitas Foundation and that the remainder, $1.427 million was entrusted to him.

He stated that this was at the behest of the Huntsman family and that the funds were to be used at his discretion without any deadlines. Oskanian also sta6ted that both the old and new members of the Civiltas board were aware of this.

After providing a detailed money trail of the funds in question, Oskanian compared the case against him with the Stalinist era witch hunts of 1937, when charges were fabricated to get rid of political opponents.

Oskanian then talked about his family roots to show that charges of embezzlement were ridiculous.

The former foreign minister said that he was born in Syria to a family from Marash that was engaged in the jeweler’s trade. The family business later branched out to the U.S. and Belgium. Oskanian came to Armenia in 1973 to get a college education.

Oskanian said it was due to the income generated by the family business over the decades that allowed him to relocate to Armenia in 1991 with his family.

Oskanian argued that he had no need to "embezzle" funds and that he’s been living in Armenia ever since due to the accumulated resources of his family.

"From the first day in Armenia until now, I have never desired to own any business ventures in Armenia. I am content as is," Oskanian declared.

He argued that it was no mystery his colleagues in parliament that the steps being taken against him are politically motivated and are directed against him personally and the Prosperous Armenia Party, an organization that could become a real and honest alternative to the current failed regime.

Oskanian placed the entire affair in the context of the upcoming presidential elections.

"The current authorities in Armenia talk to dissenters in the language of hostage takers. They are not capable of engaging in political competition. Today, we aren’t only discussing the issue of Vardan Oskanian, but the attempt to remove a political competitor, Prosperous Armenia, from the arena."

He added that the future of Armenia depends on the possibility of free competition and that all forces must be permitted to participate in such competition.

"Armenia stands at a dangerous precipice in terms of domestic, economic and external challenges. If there is not counterweight to the regime that has brought the country to this precipice, the country’s problems will not be resolved. On the contrary, they will deepen."