NAIRA ZOHRABYAN: GAGIK TSARUKYAN SHOULD BE PAP CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT
Panorama.am
24/10/2012
Panorama.am held an interview with secretary of Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP) parliamentary faction Naira Zohrabyan about the format
of PAP's participation in the upcoming presidential elections and
developments around ex-Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.
- Mrs Zohrabyan, what is the reason for Gagik Tsarukyan's
non-attendance of parliament sessions? Is the PAP leader boycotting
parliament sessions in connection with Vartan Oskanian's case?
- No, absolutely not. I would not like us to try to see political
implication in every case. I can say that Mr Tsarukyan missed
parliament sessions due to working visits. But it does not mean that
he will not participate in the National Assembly's work. I repeat
confidently: PAP leader will be in parliament.
As for Vartan Oskanian's case, Mr Tsarukyan expressed his position
on this issue in a statement. Yes, he thinks that Armenian Prosecutor
General's petition is legally ungrounded and he expressed support for
his co-partisan in his statement. World-renowned lawyers will handle
this case, which they have done and are doing now.
- Several months remain until the presidential elections. Prognoses
are made as to whether PAP will nominate its candidate or will back
RPA candidate. At the same time, some PAP members, Vartan Oskanian,
Vahe Hovhannisyan, for instance, do not rule out the first option.
When will the party be certain in its position?
- I understand the interest around the party's decision, because PAP
is currently one of the key players in Armenian political field,
and it is no secret that the course of the future developments in
the country will mostly depend on the PAP's decision on the format
of participation in the presidential elections. But I reiterate that
PAP will decide on its own when to make public its decision.
As for personal opinions of my colleagues, not only Vartan Oskanian,
Vahe Hovhannisyan, but also I think that PAP as a political force that
received so many votes in the parliamentary elections should nominate
its candidate. More, I can say that I see only Gagik Tsarukyan as
PAP candidate for president.
- Can you already say when the PAP congress will take place?
- No, it is not yet decided whether there will be a congress or not. I
reiterate that we will soon discuss issues concerning presidential
elections and will make public our decision when we decide to do it.
- Coming back to recent developments as well as Facebook posts,
we must say that Oskanian is sometimes mentioned as alternative to
Tsarukyan. Do you see such option?
- I have already answered this: PAP's decision on format of
participation in the presidential elections will be made public when
PAP decides to do it.
From: Baghdasarian
Panorama.am
24/10/2012
Panorama.am held an interview with secretary of Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP) parliamentary faction Naira Zohrabyan about the format
of PAP's participation in the upcoming presidential elections and
developments around ex-Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.
- Mrs Zohrabyan, what is the reason for Gagik Tsarukyan's
non-attendance of parliament sessions? Is the PAP leader boycotting
parliament sessions in connection with Vartan Oskanian's case?
- No, absolutely not. I would not like us to try to see political
implication in every case. I can say that Mr Tsarukyan missed
parliament sessions due to working visits. But it does not mean that
he will not participate in the National Assembly's work. I repeat
confidently: PAP leader will be in parliament.
As for Vartan Oskanian's case, Mr Tsarukyan expressed his position
on this issue in a statement. Yes, he thinks that Armenian Prosecutor
General's petition is legally ungrounded and he expressed support for
his co-partisan in his statement. World-renowned lawyers will handle
this case, which they have done and are doing now.
- Several months remain until the presidential elections. Prognoses
are made as to whether PAP will nominate its candidate or will back
RPA candidate. At the same time, some PAP members, Vartan Oskanian,
Vahe Hovhannisyan, for instance, do not rule out the first option.
When will the party be certain in its position?
- I understand the interest around the party's decision, because PAP
is currently one of the key players in Armenian political field,
and it is no secret that the course of the future developments in
the country will mostly depend on the PAP's decision on the format
of participation in the presidential elections. But I reiterate that
PAP will decide on its own when to make public its decision.
As for personal opinions of my colleagues, not only Vartan Oskanian,
Vahe Hovhannisyan, but also I think that PAP as a political force that
received so many votes in the parliamentary elections should nominate
its candidate. More, I can say that I see only Gagik Tsarukyan as
PAP candidate for president.
- Can you already say when the PAP congress will take place?
- No, it is not yet decided whether there will be a congress or not. I
reiterate that we will soon discuss issues concerning presidential
elections and will make public our decision when we decide to do it.
- Coming back to recent developments as well as Facebook posts,
we must say that Oskanian is sometimes mentioned as alternative to
Tsarukyan. Do you see such option?
- I have already answered this: PAP's decision on format of
participation in the presidential elections will be made public when
PAP decides to do it.
From: Baghdasarian