YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan expressed confidence that all those responsible for the January 19 tragedy which claimed the lives of 15 servicemen will be held accountable.

Speaker Simonyan offered condolences to the families of the victims of the fire at a press briefing on January 23.

He said he has met with the survivors of the fire who are now hospitalized.

Simonyan did not disclose details from his conversation with the injured troops.

“There’s an ongoing investigations. I assure you that all those guilty will bear criminal responsibility,” Simonyan said.

Asked whether or not officials will also be held accountable, for example the defense minister, the Speaker said that the defense minister can’t have any relations with that. “He’s fulfilled his work completely in terms of his functions. I find these political manipulations regarding the defense minister to be very futile and inappropriate. The reforms that Mr. Papikyan is implementing, and also the responsibility that he assumed when he was deputy prime minister, after the war in that condition he agreed to assume responsibility [for the military] and start reforms,” Simonyan said.

Simonyan noted that there are serious reforms taking place in the military. He said furnishings have been changed and are being changed in all places in the military. “We are also going to import various quality and high level furnishing to Armenia,” Simonyan said.

Speaking about an observation about the money spent for salary bonuses of legislators and other directions, the Speaker said: “The Republic of Armenia doesn’t have any problem with money for spending on the military. And there’s never been any case, and there is no such case starting 2018 where we haven’t made procurement because of money.”

Simonyan said the problem regarding the house where the barracks was stationed concerned the lack of safety conditions. “Those responsible for safety have been punished and will be punished. Regarding political responsibility, the political leadership has done and will continue doing everything needed. I assure you, if not for these changes such incidents could’ve taken place a lot more. But nevertheless, I think it is inappropriate to make a subject of political manipulation out of this tragedy and try to bring it into the political agenda,” Speaker Simonyan said.