The Armenian parliament today voted down an ARF sponsored motion expressing “no confidence” in the government.

The ARF argued that the government has failed to implement its social welfare programs and stem the growing exodus from Armenia, among other shortcomings.

Prosperous Armenia Party MP Vardan Bostanjyan told Hetq that he couldn’t share the opinion of the ARF since citizens of Armenia enjoyed the right to freely enter and leave Armenia.

“In all conditions, such a principle allows individuals the possibility of going wherever they deem advantageous to live or work. Sure, there is a financial crisis, etc, etc. I would posit that there is no government that deliberately seeks to make the country unproductive,” he argued, adding that there were a host of external factors in the exodus equation.

When asked why the government hasn’t stepped down in light of all these shortcomings, MP Bostanjyan said, “There is no tradition of the government resigning in Armenia. With us, it’s more a matter of responsibility. A government just cannot resign willy-nilly given that it shoulders a huge degree of responsibility.”