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At a special meeting of the Armenia parliament’s Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sports on Wednesday, an altercation took place between opposition Hayastan faction candidate Rubik Hakobyan and committee chair Sisak Gabrielyan, an MP from the ruling Civil Contract party.

The dispute broke out when lawmakers were debating Hakobyan’s candidacy for the vacant position of a member of the Commission on Television and Radio.

"Pashinyan wants to do to the opposition exactly what Erdogan and Aliyev did to him. Now I am saying, you won't succeed, you bastard, I won't allow it,” Hakobyan said, referring to his response to the police over his reaction to Nikol Pashinyan's swear words addressed to the opposition during last year's election campaign.

Hakobyan stressed that there are tens of thousands of women among the opposition figures, then asked pro-government lawmaker Hasmik Hakobyan, who was present at the meeting, what she would do if such an insult was uttered against her.

"A man would slap him in the face, while a woman would probably spit on his face and she would be right, because such an ugly insult made by the head of state is just a disgrace," Hakobyan said.

Addressing MPs from the Civil Contract faction, he indicated that selective approach does not do deputies credit.

The politician next responded to accusations made by Civil Contract faction MP Narek Babayan, who had previously called him a "mine planted by the opposition”.

"Mines for the state are all those who have nothing to do with politics," Hakobyan retorted.

He also noted that he does not know such a political figure as Narek Babayan, adding he and others like him "seep into the National Assembly as their spouses’ dowry”. (Narek Babayan is the husband of former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lena Nazaryan)

Afterwards, Sisak Gabrielyan demanded Rubik Hakobyan to stop his speech. The latter objected, stating the demand is not in line with the parliament’s statute.

A verbal altercation ensued between the two.

"I am withdrawing my candidacy, you have no right to vote," the opposition candidate said, accusing Gabrielyan of trying to again resort to hooliganism as he did at a parliament session previously.

Sisak Gabrielyan remarked that Rubik Hakobyan’s "purpose in life" was to “make speeches”.

"Seriously? The purpose of my life is to educate tactless hooligans like you, and I will," Hakobyan retorted.

"The tactless hooligan is your parents, who raised you for so many years but taught you nothing," Gabrielyan replied.

Then he stood up and approached Rubik Hakobyan, saying, "I'm going to spit on you, you are no different from a donkey, you jerk!”

"You yourself are a donkey, you jackass! Now I will take this finger of yours and throw it into your ass," Hakobyan replied.

Gabrielyan interrupted the meeting. After several minutes of shouting and swearing, Hakobyan left the room.