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RPA CONFIDENT OF STAYING IN POWER FOR NEXT DECADE; OPPONENTS CONDEMN HINTS AT "ONE-PARTY DICTATORSHIP"
Politics | 01.05.14 | 14:33
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) believes it has "the level
of organization, resources, experience and number of members" that
will enable it to continue to be the leader of Armenia's political
system "for approximately another decade," a party spokesman said
on Wednesday.
Enlarge Photo
Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also deputy speaker of parliament, stressed
in his remarks to the media that this is also the opinion shared by
President Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the RPA.
In his statement on April 10, speaking about the planned constitutional
reform, the head of state expressed his conviction that the RPA will
remain "a decisive and vital actor" in Armenia even if the system of
government changes in accordance with the proposed constitutional
amendments. At the same time, Sargsyan made it clear that he would
not seek to be reelected for a third consecutive presidential term or
become prime minister if the Constitution was eventually changed. He
also effectively called on his predecessors not to seek top state
posts in the future.
"If a particular politician or statesman wishes to aspire to the
highest positions over the next ten years, the main, if not the sole,
path to attaining that is the RPA. To put it more simply, if anybody
wants to become president or prime minister of Armenia, they will
have to go through Melik-Adamian Street [where the RPA office is
located in Yerevan]," Sharmazanov emphasized.
The senior RPA representative's words were construed by many observers
as a warning to former President Robert Kocharyan against contemplating
a return to major-league politics in the next decade or so. The former
leader has not yet publicly spoken about his plans, but at least did
not deny such a possibility in a number of interviews that he gave to
his unofficial website in recent months. In his interviews Kocharyan
leveled criticism at the government and current leadership of Armenia
over their policies, including the plans for the constitutional reform.
The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), which is widely viewed as
Kocharyan's political support base, was quick to condemn Sharmazanov's
remarks, calling it an affront to opposition forces and ordinary
Armenians not supporting the current government. "I think that the
Republican Party owes explanations regarding the hints about one-party
dictatorship for the next decade," PAP spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
said in a statement published the same day.
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/54049/armenia_sharmazanov_rpa_kocharyan_ppa
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Politics | 01.05.14 | 14:33
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) believes it has "the level
of organization, resources, experience and number of members" that
will enable it to continue to be the leader of Armenia's political
system "for approximately another decade," a party spokesman said
on Wednesday.
Enlarge Photo
Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also deputy speaker of parliament, stressed
in his remarks to the media that this is also the opinion shared by
President Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the RPA.
In his statement on April 10, speaking about the planned constitutional
reform, the head of state expressed his conviction that the RPA will
remain "a decisive and vital actor" in Armenia even if the system of
government changes in accordance with the proposed constitutional
amendments. At the same time, Sargsyan made it clear that he would
not seek to be reelected for a third consecutive presidential term or
become prime minister if the Constitution was eventually changed. He
also effectively called on his predecessors not to seek top state
posts in the future.
"If a particular politician or statesman wishes to aspire to the
highest positions over the next ten years, the main, if not the sole,
path to attaining that is the RPA. To put it more simply, if anybody
wants to become president or prime minister of Armenia, they will
have to go through Melik-Adamian Street [where the RPA office is
located in Yerevan]," Sharmazanov emphasized.
The senior RPA representative's words were construed by many observers
as a warning to former President Robert Kocharyan against contemplating
a return to major-league politics in the next decade or so. The former
leader has not yet publicly spoken about his plans, but at least did
not deny such a possibility in a number of interviews that he gave to
his unofficial website in recent months. In his interviews Kocharyan
leveled criticism at the government and current leadership of Armenia
over their policies, including the plans for the constitutional reform.
The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), which is widely viewed as
Kocharyan's political support base, was quick to condemn Sharmazanov's
remarks, calling it an affront to opposition forces and ordinary
Armenians not supporting the current government. "I think that the
Republican Party owes explanations regarding the hints about one-party
dictatorship for the next decade," PAP spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
said in a statement published the same day.
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/54049/armenia_sharmazanov_rpa_kocharyan_ppa
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress