YEREVAN. – A group of activists who are known as pro-government activists and the supporters of Nikol Pashinyan ruined the press conference of the second president Robert Kocharyan and staged “a cheap performance” for the cameras, says the statement issued by the second president’s office.

Kocahryan had to make key political statements and to give answers to numerous questions, the statement says.

“Today’s well –planned and organized incident can be described as disorderly conduct and we should not pay any special attention to it. It is clear that President Robert Kocharyan, in one way or another, will express his views on the most pressing political issues through a press conference or an interview. However, we consider it necessary to emphasize that the incident, in fact, is a forced and brutal attempt of the authorities to prevent free expression of thoughts on the part of political opponents and the possibility of communicating with the public through the mass media,” the statement reads.

The office of the second president calls today’s incident nothing but “a brutal pressure on dissent”.

“Today’s incident reconfirmed the fears that exist in the political and public environment that the new authorities do not allow dissent and are capable of carrying out political persecution against opponents. Especially this occurrs in relation to the people whose political weight and prospects provoke their serious concern,” the statement says.