Gaik Vartanean, MP of the National Alternative Movement (MAN) and president of the ALTERNATIVA parliamentary faction, has announced the initiation of a draft decision to establish a parliamentary inquiry commission to investigate the circumstances under which several individuals convicted of drug‑related offences were pardoned in recent years, TRIBUNA reports.

According to the MP, in recent years six people convicted of producing, distributing or selling narcotic substances were pardoned by presidential decree. Only one of these pardons was later revoked, after the individual became involved in a major international scandal linked to an attempted murder in Ukraine.

Vartanean states that numerous unanswered questions persist in society regarding how cases were selected for the Presidential Pardon Commission and what criteria were applied.

“Where is the zero‑tolerance policy toward drug trafficking if the president signs decrees releasing people who were definitively convicted? We do not intend to attack any institution, including the presidential administration. We want citizens to know the truth and to be confident that such pardons will not continue,” Gaik Vartanean declared.

The MP emphasized that the initiative is not political in nature but concerns public safety and the protection of children. He expressed hope that the project will be supported by other MPs, especially from the opposition.

“The fight against drugs is not an issue of the opposition or the government. It affects every child and every citizen of this country. That is why we must shed light on how these pardons were granted, where the vulnerabilities lie, and who bears responsibility,” he added.

According to Vartanean, all decrees are public and available on the website of the Presidency, but in his view, clear explanations regarding the rationale and justification for these decisions are missing.

The ALTERNATIVA faction is expected to officially register the draft decision on establishing the inquiry commission in Parliament.