MPs from two of the four non-coalition parties in Armenia gave a variety of explanations as to why they haven’t jointly met to devise a strategy to oppose the recent electricity rate hike.

Prosperous Armenia MP Mikayel Melkoumyan told Hetq that he was in Great Britain at the time when the matter was discussed by the four parties (ARF, HAK, Prosperous Armenia, Heritage).

“I just got back the day before yesterday. I’ll find out if there were any meetings but I’m leaving the country tomorrow,” said Melkoumyan.

ARF MP Artvik Minasyan also said that he had just returned to Armenia and was out of the loop regarding any joint action by the four parties.

“In any event, the ARF hasn’t taken a vacation. We are working on a number of issues, especially drafting a petition to the constitutional court on the mandatory pension matter,” Minasyan told Hetq.

Representatives of the ARF and Prosperous Armenia said they would not be participating in a July 18 public rally organized by the Rule of Law party on the electricity rate hike issue, confessing that they didn’t know if their respective parties had even discussed whether to participate or not.

Both MPs said they were not concerned that Rule of Law might utilize the public rally to recruit new members at their expense.

“I don’t think it’s a matter of falling ahead of behind [Rule of Law{. What’s important is getting a result. If Rule of Law can get a result, all of us would be happy. There is no jealousy towards that party. We are so few that jealousy in politics can be destructive,” said Minasyan.