Vage Stepanian intends to withdraw from the Group on Collecting Facts about March 1, 2008 in Yerevan

Vage Stepnian, representative of Armenian Ombudsman in the Group on Collecting Facts about March 1, 2008 intends to leave his post. Stepanian explains his decision by a heavy confrontation in the Group between representatives of the authorities and the opposition.

"I hoped that situation would improve if we stop meeting for some time. However, on the contrary, a serious situation has developed inside the Group. I do not see any future for myself here. I have come to the conclusion that I am unable to maintain the balance of the parties any more and to ensure their cooperation", states Stepanian to the media representatives.

Today, Anait Bakhshian, chair of the opposition party "Naslediye", has addressed a letter to president Serge Sargsian in which she informs him that the Group on Collecting Facts formed upon his Decree has in effect "frozen its activity" starting from May 4.

Note that Vage Stepanian took a leave at the beginning of May, and applications for going on leave were filed almost at the same time by two other Group members: Gevork Tovmasian and Robert Avakian who represent the ruling coalition in the Group. Commenting on the simultaneous going on leave of three group members, Vage Stepanian called the fact a simple coincidence.

Meanwhile, Levon Zubarian and Stepan Safarian, representatives of oppositional Armenian National Congress and the party "Naslediye", characterized the act by members of the Group on Collecting Facts representing the authorities - Robert Avakian and Gevork Tovmasian, and Vage Stepanian, representative of the Ombudsman, as illegal and void of legal justification.

"We have serious grounds to believe that this act has been undertaken under the pressure of the authorities. This is confirmed by the fact that the decision was taken after the first investigation materials - the materials on the cause of death of police officer Gamlet Tadevocian, had been submitted to the Provisional Parliamentary Commission on Studying the March 1 Events", stated Levon Zubarian.