Armenian speaker responds to luxury shoe criticism: 'I don't own $1,100 shoes'

The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan, has responded to accusations that he spends money on luxury clothing and footwear.

According to Report, which cites Armenian media outlets, Simonyan advised the media to focus on officials who have been "looting the country for 30 years," instead of publishing such stories about him.

"It's unclear how exactly I should be accused of looting the parliament—should I be selling empty opposition seats at a good price or selling off old carpets from the National Assembly? Some are criticizing me for owning $1,100 Zegna shoes, while others claim I bought Loro Piana shoes for 1,600 euros. I don't own shoes at that price. It’s quite amusing that almost everyone opens their $1,400 iPhones and yet discusses the so-called $1,100 shoes of the parliamentary speaker," Simonyan remarked.

He further explained that he usually buys his shoes at overseas outlets or local stores in Yerevan.