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TER-PETROSYAN WOOS PAP, WARNS IT AGAINST FORMING ELECTION BLOC WITH RPA
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow
25.11.11
The leader of Armenia's main opposition alliance has made overtures
to a major pro-establishment party, implying that its current
reported differences with the larger coalition partner meet his
bloc's interests.
Addressing supporters at a rally in Yerevan on Friday Armenian
National Congress (ANC) leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan predicted more
high-profile dismissals and resignations in the government, describing
such developments as an indication of growing differences within the
ruling coalition, in particular between the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) and its junior partner, Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP), led by tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan and believed to be ex-president
Robert Kocharyan's brainchild.
At the same time, Ter-Petrosyan urged the PAP to distinctly distance
itself from the Kocharyan legacy, including the deadly suppression
of the opposition's street protests in 2008. He also warned the party
against teaming up with the RPA at next year's parliamentary elections,
saying that in that case it will "lose its face completely".
"Now it is difficult to predict how far the differences within
the coalition will aggravate, but if it turns out that Prosperous
Armenia genuinely intends to fight for free and fair elections, then
in my opinion - I emphasize it that it is in my and not in the ANC's
opinion - the ANC should be ready to seriously consider the prospect
and possibility of cooperating with it," said Ter-Petrosyan.
The opposition leader's remarks came against the backdrop of
unconfirmed media reports about the PAP's agreement to form a single
bloc with the RPA to contest next year's parliamentary elections.
In the past several months media have repeatedly speculated about
growing differences between the two coalition partners as a possible
indication of covert rivalry between incumbent president Sargsyan and
his predecessor Kocharyan. The latest battleground for that perceived
rivalry was the mayoral race earlier this month in the northern town
of Ijevan where the PAP-backed candidate unseated the incumbent mayor
who enjoyed the RPA's support.
Some analysts described the PAP's success in the small provincial
town as an early indication of the party's greater ambitions in the
next parliamentary vote due in May.
Ter-Petrosyan denied the ANC had supported the PAP in the Ijevan race,
as was alleged by some media. But he still refused to reprimand any
of the ANC local chapter members who might have personally assisted
the PAP campaign. He implied the struggle was against the regime and
therefore was justifiable.
Meanwhile, the ANC presented what its coordinator Levon Zurabyan
described as legal grounds for impeaching Sargsyan. The "Declaration"
of legal reasons for Sargsyan's resignation listed a dozen violations
of the Constitution that the incumbent head of state had allegedly
committed before and after assuming the presidential post.
Zurabyan said the ANC will pursue the case legally, with "mass
protests" accompanying this legal battle. The oppositionist announced
that one such street march will be staged on December 10, which is
marked as International Human Rights Day.
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow
25.11.11
The leader of Armenia's main opposition alliance has made overtures
to a major pro-establishment party, implying that its current
reported differences with the larger coalition partner meet his
bloc's interests.
Addressing supporters at a rally in Yerevan on Friday Armenian
National Congress (ANC) leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan predicted more
high-profile dismissals and resignations in the government, describing
such developments as an indication of growing differences within the
ruling coalition, in particular between the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) and its junior partner, Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP), led by tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan and believed to be ex-president
Robert Kocharyan's brainchild.
At the same time, Ter-Petrosyan urged the PAP to distinctly distance
itself from the Kocharyan legacy, including the deadly suppression
of the opposition's street protests in 2008. He also warned the party
against teaming up with the RPA at next year's parliamentary elections,
saying that in that case it will "lose its face completely".
"Now it is difficult to predict how far the differences within
the coalition will aggravate, but if it turns out that Prosperous
Armenia genuinely intends to fight for free and fair elections, then
in my opinion - I emphasize it that it is in my and not in the ANC's
opinion - the ANC should be ready to seriously consider the prospect
and possibility of cooperating with it," said Ter-Petrosyan.
The opposition leader's remarks came against the backdrop of
unconfirmed media reports about the PAP's agreement to form a single
bloc with the RPA to contest next year's parliamentary elections.
In the past several months media have repeatedly speculated about
growing differences between the two coalition partners as a possible
indication of covert rivalry between incumbent president Sargsyan and
his predecessor Kocharyan. The latest battleground for that perceived
rivalry was the mayoral race earlier this month in the northern town
of Ijevan where the PAP-backed candidate unseated the incumbent mayor
who enjoyed the RPA's support.
Some analysts described the PAP's success in the small provincial
town as an early indication of the party's greater ambitions in the
next parliamentary vote due in May.
Ter-Petrosyan denied the ANC had supported the PAP in the Ijevan race,
as was alleged by some media. But he still refused to reprimand any
of the ANC local chapter members who might have personally assisted
the PAP campaign. He implied the struggle was against the regime and
therefore was justifiable.
Meanwhile, the ANC presented what its coordinator Levon Zurabyan
described as legal grounds for impeaching Sargsyan. The "Declaration"
of legal reasons for Sargsyan's resignation listed a dozen violations
of the Constitution that the incumbent head of state had allegedly
committed before and after assuming the presidential post.
Zurabyan said the ANC will pursue the case legally, with "mass
protests" accompanying this legal battle. The oppositionist announced
that one such street march will be staged on December 10, which is
marked as International Human Rights Day.