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BUSINESS AS USUAL: OLIGARCHS LINE UP FOR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEATS
Hakob Hakobyan
ArmeniaNow
06.02.12 | 16:24
By Gayane Lazarian
Four months ahead of the Parliamentary elections in Armenia, many
businessmen proclaim that they are planning to participate in the
Parliamentary elections 2012, even though the President of Armenia,
the Prime minister and a number of Republicans have repeatedly stated
that business will be separated from politics.
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has repeatedly stated that
business must consistently be separated from the state system and
the authorities. Instead the Government must continue learning how
to respect and secure any citizen's and businessman's interest.
According to press, the businessmen and "oligarchs" from Republican
Party will file their candidacy by the majoritatian voting system. The
names of lawmakers Grigory Margaryan, Samvel Alexanyan, Ashot
Aghababyan and others are circulated.
Moreover, some businessmen who do not have a parliamentary mandate
now get prepared for the upcoming Parliamentary elections, too.
Former lawmaker, member of the ruling Republican Party, Hakob Hakobyan
plans to participate in the upcoming Parliamentary elections by
the majoritatian voting system (from Echmiadzin). Hakobyan owns the
Zvartnots Hotel Complex, a casino, a compressed natural gas station,
etc.
"I am a property owner; however, I do not deal with business anymore.
My two sons take care of my seven enterprises. I believe that if one
wants to enter politics than he or she must stop being involved in
business first," Hakobyan told ArmeniaNow.
According to him, the rich experience of a businessman secures
professional skills which can later be used in the legislative work.
Heritage Party Board member Karine Hakobyan says that a lawmaker of
the National Assembly must be honest, a person of principle and great
knowledge, a patriot, and a broad-minded person.
"In this case we would not have the situation that we face now.
Currently, the National Assembly is like a blanket, which is pulled
by anyone who wants to keep his or her interests. If the president
[of Armenia] says that a businessman and an oligarch must not be at
the National Assembly, then the Central Electoral Commission must not
accept the applications submitted by businessmen who are mainly from
Prosperous Armenia Party. However, this refers not only to Prosperous
Armenia's businessmen," Karine Hakobyan says.
Electoral and political technologies expert Armen Badalyan says that
businessmen enter the National Assembly being led by the stereotypes
of the past 20 years: "We will be from the ruling team, we will vote
for all the Government-submitted bills, and instead the Government
will not put pressure on us through taxes."
From: Baghdasarian
Hakob Hakobyan
ArmeniaNow
06.02.12 | 16:24
By Gayane Lazarian
Four months ahead of the Parliamentary elections in Armenia, many
businessmen proclaim that they are planning to participate in the
Parliamentary elections 2012, even though the President of Armenia,
the Prime minister and a number of Republicans have repeatedly stated
that business will be separated from politics.
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has repeatedly stated that
business must consistently be separated from the state system and
the authorities. Instead the Government must continue learning how
to respect and secure any citizen's and businessman's interest.
According to press, the businessmen and "oligarchs" from Republican
Party will file their candidacy by the majoritatian voting system. The
names of lawmakers Grigory Margaryan, Samvel Alexanyan, Ashot
Aghababyan and others are circulated.
Moreover, some businessmen who do not have a parliamentary mandate
now get prepared for the upcoming Parliamentary elections, too.
Former lawmaker, member of the ruling Republican Party, Hakob Hakobyan
plans to participate in the upcoming Parliamentary elections by
the majoritatian voting system (from Echmiadzin). Hakobyan owns the
Zvartnots Hotel Complex, a casino, a compressed natural gas station,
etc.
"I am a property owner; however, I do not deal with business anymore.
My two sons take care of my seven enterprises. I believe that if one
wants to enter politics than he or she must stop being involved in
business first," Hakobyan told ArmeniaNow.
According to him, the rich experience of a businessman secures
professional skills which can later be used in the legislative work.
Heritage Party Board member Karine Hakobyan says that a lawmaker of
the National Assembly must be honest, a person of principle and great
knowledge, a patriot, and a broad-minded person.
"In this case we would not have the situation that we face now.
Currently, the National Assembly is like a blanket, which is pulled
by anyone who wants to keep his or her interests. If the president
[of Armenia] says that a businessman and an oligarch must not be at
the National Assembly, then the Central Electoral Commission must not
accept the applications submitted by businessmen who are mainly from
Prosperous Armenia Party. However, this refers not only to Prosperous
Armenia's businessmen," Karine Hakobyan says.
Electoral and political technologies expert Armen Badalyan says that
businessmen enter the National Assembly being led by the stereotypes
of the past 20 years: "We will be from the ruling team, we will vote
for all the Government-submitted bills, and instead the Government
will not put pressure on us through taxes."
From: Baghdasarian