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SARKISYAN UNLIKELY TO BE REPLACED - 1
Vetsnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 24 2013
24 September 2013 - 11:00am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan is still in the center of
criticism of political, expert, and journalist circles. The Premier and
his government are accused of numerous mistakes, including the highest
level of monopolization of economy, growing prices, unemployment,
poverty and emigration.
The government and the Premier are criticized for non-fulfillment
of their promises to fight major monopolies. Monopolies continue to
improve their position. "It is impossible to stop migration in the
state which doesn't plan to spend money and where oligarchs don't
intend to invest their revenues into the country's economy. The only
hope is that people will leave the country to earn some money," the
former prime minister (1992-1996), MP from the opposition fraction
the Armenian National Congress, Grant Bagratyan, says.
"The economy is destroyed; poverty is huge; everybody escapes the
country, while the Premier smiles and sings songs. He should take
part in a waste-of-skin contest. He is an awful economist and an
awful singer," says a member of the social-democratic party Ganchak,
Gurgen Egiazaryan.
Along with heavy criticism by the opposition, Tigran Sarkisyan is
still on focus of the off-shore row. Internet portal Hetq continues
publishing information giving details about the scandal. Meanwhile,
the case which seems to be typical money laundering is simply hushed
up - the off-shore row burst in late May, and now it is late September.
Moreover, according to information of the local mass media, two months
ago the National Security Service of Armenia sent a special group to
Cyprus for investigating circumstances of the off-shore scandal: to
gather information about Sarkisyan's property in Cyprus and criminal
aspects in the Premier's steps.
Why does President Serge Sargsyan prefer not to mention the story? In
Armenia when one is asked why the President doesn't dismiss Premier,
people joke: "How can President dismiss Premier who is criticized
more than himself?"
However, the joke is truthful. It is quite possible that
psychologically Tigran Sarkisyan takes a part of protest attitudes
against the President. From this point of view the Premier is a very
comfortable figure. But this is only one of reasons. In fact neither
the President's team nor the government has any clear plan on taking
the country out of the difficult economic situation. Probably it is
the main reasons for maintaining status quo without any changes in
many spheres, including the question on the Premier's dismissal.
Moreover, any activities on taking the country out of the difficult
economic situation have to be directed against oligarchs. But as
the power involves clan and oligarchy capital, it is not interested
in changes. If the President intended to dismiss Tigran Sarkisyan,
it would be done after convincing information against him in the
off-shore scandal.
On the other hand, as a politician Sarkisyan is obedient to the
President, he provides policy which satisfies Serge Sargsyan and no
problems for him occur.
After Segre Sargsyan's statement on the country's intention to
join the Customs Union, the Armenian mass media began to discuss
possible shifts in the power. They are connected with appointment
to the position of the Prime Minister the pro-Russian politician,
the former head of the presidential administration Karen Karapetyan.
To be continued
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/45461.html
Vetsnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 24 2013
24 September 2013 - 11:00am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan is still in the center of
criticism of political, expert, and journalist circles. The Premier and
his government are accused of numerous mistakes, including the highest
level of monopolization of economy, growing prices, unemployment,
poverty and emigration.
The government and the Premier are criticized for non-fulfillment
of their promises to fight major monopolies. Monopolies continue to
improve their position. "It is impossible to stop migration in the
state which doesn't plan to spend money and where oligarchs don't
intend to invest their revenues into the country's economy. The only
hope is that people will leave the country to earn some money," the
former prime minister (1992-1996), MP from the opposition fraction
the Armenian National Congress, Grant Bagratyan, says.
"The economy is destroyed; poverty is huge; everybody escapes the
country, while the Premier smiles and sings songs. He should take
part in a waste-of-skin contest. He is an awful economist and an
awful singer," says a member of the social-democratic party Ganchak,
Gurgen Egiazaryan.
Along with heavy criticism by the opposition, Tigran Sarkisyan is
still on focus of the off-shore row. Internet portal Hetq continues
publishing information giving details about the scandal. Meanwhile,
the case which seems to be typical money laundering is simply hushed
up - the off-shore row burst in late May, and now it is late September.
Moreover, according to information of the local mass media, two months
ago the National Security Service of Armenia sent a special group to
Cyprus for investigating circumstances of the off-shore scandal: to
gather information about Sarkisyan's property in Cyprus and criminal
aspects in the Premier's steps.
Why does President Serge Sargsyan prefer not to mention the story? In
Armenia when one is asked why the President doesn't dismiss Premier,
people joke: "How can President dismiss Premier who is criticized
more than himself?"
However, the joke is truthful. It is quite possible that
psychologically Tigran Sarkisyan takes a part of protest attitudes
against the President. From this point of view the Premier is a very
comfortable figure. But this is only one of reasons. In fact neither
the President's team nor the government has any clear plan on taking
the country out of the difficult economic situation. Probably it is
the main reasons for maintaining status quo without any changes in
many spheres, including the question on the Premier's dismissal.
Moreover, any activities on taking the country out of the difficult
economic situation have to be directed against oligarchs. But as
the power involves clan and oligarchy capital, it is not interested
in changes. If the President intended to dismiss Tigran Sarkisyan,
it would be done after convincing information against him in the
off-shore scandal.
On the other hand, as a politician Sarkisyan is obedient to the
President, he provides policy which satisfies Serge Sargsyan and no
problems for him occur.
After Segre Sargsyan's statement on the country's intention to
join the Customs Union, the Armenian mass media began to discuss
possible shifts in the power. They are connected with appointment
to the position of the Prime Minister the pro-Russian politician,
the former head of the presidential administration Karen Karapetyan.
To be continued
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/45461.html