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PAP says stands by Oskanian in criminal investigation questioned by U.S. envoy
http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/38739/pap_gagik_tsarukyan_vartan_oskanian
Politics | 15.06.12 | 11:08
The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) on Thursday reaffirmed support for
its prominent member Vartan Oskanian, saying that the decision by
law-enforcement agencies to place him under a criminal investigation
may well be `politically motivated', reports RFE/RL's Armenian
Service.
Naira Zohrabyan, a senior aide to PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, is
quoted as saying that the PAP is `really concerned' about the criminal
proceedings against Oskanian including accusations of money laundering
against him and the Civilitas Foundation that he founded after leaving
his position as foreign minister in 2008 and headed until February
this year when he decided to join the PAP ahead of the May
parliamentary elections.
`Gagik Tsarukyan is taking a strong interest in and is aware of
details of the case,' Zohrabyan said. `We stand by our party comrade,
and after clarifying some details Prosperous Armenia may come up with
a more comprehensive evaluation soon.'
Meanwhile, in an interview with the same source on Thursday U.S.
Ambassador John Heffern, too, expressed concern at the criminal
proceedings launched against Oskanian and Civilitas.
Heffern described the launch of the probe by the National Security
Service of Armenia `at this time in the political calendar' as
`troubling'.
Oskanian himself insists that the criminal case is a retribution for
his hard-hitting criticism of the government in the lead-up to the May
6 parliamentary elections.
The PAP refused to form a coalition with the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) after the elections in which it secured the second
largest representation in the National Assembly. It is not yet clear
whether the PAP will back RPA leader and current president Serzh
Sargsyan in next February's presidential vote or prefer to field its
own candidate. Local political observers do not exclude that Oskanian
might become the PAP's presidential candidate should it decide to
field one.
http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/38739/pap_gagik_tsarukyan_vartan_oskanian
Politics | 15.06.12 | 11:08
The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) on Thursday reaffirmed support for
its prominent member Vartan Oskanian, saying that the decision by
law-enforcement agencies to place him under a criminal investigation
may well be `politically motivated', reports RFE/RL's Armenian
Service.
Naira Zohrabyan, a senior aide to PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, is
quoted as saying that the PAP is `really concerned' about the criminal
proceedings against Oskanian including accusations of money laundering
against him and the Civilitas Foundation that he founded after leaving
his position as foreign minister in 2008 and headed until February
this year when he decided to join the PAP ahead of the May
parliamentary elections.
`Gagik Tsarukyan is taking a strong interest in and is aware of
details of the case,' Zohrabyan said. `We stand by our party comrade,
and after clarifying some details Prosperous Armenia may come up with
a more comprehensive evaluation soon.'
Meanwhile, in an interview with the same source on Thursday U.S.
Ambassador John Heffern, too, expressed concern at the criminal
proceedings launched against Oskanian and Civilitas.
Heffern described the launch of the probe by the National Security
Service of Armenia `at this time in the political calendar' as
`troubling'.
Oskanian himself insists that the criminal case is a retribution for
his hard-hitting criticism of the government in the lead-up to the May
6 parliamentary elections.
The PAP refused to form a coalition with the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) after the elections in which it secured the second
largest representation in the National Assembly. It is not yet clear
whether the PAP will back RPA leader and current president Serzh
Sargsyan in next February's presidential vote or prefer to field its
own candidate. Local political observers do not exclude that Oskanian
might become the PAP's presidential candidate should it decide to
field one.