Armenian National Assembly Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said he is targeting media outlets and will continue to do so.

He added that he understands why journalists are “inflating the bubble.”

“All media outlets that do not transparently present their sources of funding will fall under my target,” Rubinyan stated.

Referring to a question about National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan abruptly ending a briefing, he said: “I did not hear why Mr. Simonyan left, but I assume he, like me, became angry that certain Armenian media outlets, acting on instructions from their owners, are trying to create the impression that there are some economic problems with Russia,” Panorama.am reports.

A journalist recalled that after a visit to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Alexey Overchuk made sharp statements, while Alen Simonyan had responded at the time that if gas prices rise, Armenia would leave the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and other structures.

Rubinyan insisted that Putin’s statement during a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about differences in gas prices between Europe and Armenia does not imply a price increase.

“Do you mean that Russia should fail to honor agreements or carry out hostile actions? Such hints are made by certain political forces in Armenia and the media subordinate to them… I am targeting media outlets and will target media outlets… I want you all to know that all media outlets among you that do not transparently present their funding sources will be under my target from now on,” he said.

He added that he understands why journalists want to inflate the “bubble” about deteriorating economic relations with Russia.

“Because an oligarch from Kaluga wants to make it part of his political campaign,” he said.

Rubinyan asked journalist Hripsime Jebejyan, who posed uncomfortable questions, to leave the briefing hall.

“Well, you leave the political field, too,” the journalist replied.

Rubinyan responded that the people will decide who leaves the political field.

“I am confident that the people will give us such an increased mandate that journalists and media outlets funded by various oligarchs will be forced to disclose their funding sources, and people will know on whose orders those journalists who come and make political statements are acting. For example, they will find out whose order you are fulfilling,” he said.

The journalist urged him not to speak with a pointing finger, adding: “Through our media, people will clearly learn how the state budget is being wasted… You are the ones funded from the budget, spending public money, and targeting the media.”

Earlier, Simonyan had interrupted the briefing. Responding to a remark about whether they could join the EU overnight, Simonyan said: “Have you felt the difference between Serzh Sargsyan and Nikol Pashinyan? And the difference between Robert Kocharyan and Nikol Pashinyan? For example, if Pashinyan were not here, most of you would now be ‘foreign agents,’ and you would be in prison,” he said, addressing a journalist who had asked whether all journalists before 2018 were ‘foreign agents.’

The journalist’s remark about what it means to label journalists as foreign agents angered Simonyan; he ended the briefing and left, suggesting questions be directed to that journalist.