Gagik Tsarukyan, perhaps the richest man in Armenia and a deputy in the parliament, told reporters today that they were guilty of spreading falsehoods and were carrying out third party instructions.

As a result, Tsarukyan argued, Armenia finds itself in its present situation.

The outburst followed a Hetq reporter’s inquiry as to why Tsarukyan rarely showed up for parliamentary sessions.

“Let me say that I do not come to work infrequently. You must come and see, since the people obtain information from you,” Tsarukyan responded, adding that 90% of MPs show up, register as present, and then leave an hour later.

“Tsarukyan is engaged in work. Tsarukyan brought 70 deputies from the Council of Europe one month ago, and twenty went to Karabakh. I don’t believe that any MP has worked more effectively,” he said, referring to himself in the third person.

Despite his claims, the fact is that Tsarukyan was absent more times than any other deputy during the last parliamentary session.

Replying to a Hetq inquiry, the National Assembly Staff Office wrote that 121 of Tsarukyan’s 157 no-shows were considered “acceptable”.

Hetq asked Tsarukyan what documents had he presented to get so many absences deemed okay.

“File a formal request and I’ll show you. Dear girl, now, do you rate Tsarukyan’s work as positive or negative?”

When told that the obligation of a deputy was to show up in the parliament, Tsarukyan said, “I know who I am. Go find out who you are and what question you’re posing.”