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NEW OPPOSITION GROUP CRITICAL OF TER-PETROSIAN, TSARUKIAN
October 14, 2014
Azatutyun - Anew political group led by Nikol Pashinian, an outspoken
opposition figure, accused Armenian opposition heavyweights on
Monday of misleading the public with their ongoing anti-government
demonstrations, saying that they are not aimed at toppling President
Serzh Sarkisian.
Pashinian and senior members of his Civil Contract movement claimed
that former President Levon Ter-Petrosian and Prosperous Armenia Party
(BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian are keen to cut power-sharing deals with
Sarkisian, rather than force him to step down or call snap elections.
Pashinian claimed that Ter-Petrosian for years fed his supporters
with false promises of impending fresh elections after the 2008
post-election government crackdown on his opposition movement. "As
you know, I was part of that process, and I admit my share of
responsibility for that," he told a news conference. "I'm sorry,
but repeating the same thing is not right, to say the least."
Pashinian, 38, was a key backer of Ter-Petrosian's 2008 bid to return
to power by scuttling a handover of power from outgoing President
Robert Kocharian to Sarkisian in a disputed presidential election.
Like dozens of other oppositionists, the former newspaper editor
went into hiding following a deadly suppression of Ter-Petrosian's
post-election street protests in Yerevan. He subsequently surrendered
to law-enforcement bodies and spent nearly two years in prison on
controversial charges.
Pashinian fell out with Ter-Petrosian in 2012, strongly objecting
to the ex-president's pursuit of close cooperation with Tsarukian's
BHK because of the latter's alleged links to Kocharian. He remains
nominally affiliated with the parliamentary faction of Ter-Petrosian's
Armenian National Congress (HAK) despite having severed links with
the opposition party.
Pashinian, who is popular with many opposition supporters for his
tough anti-government rhetoric, officially set up Civil Contract
late last year with the stated aim of achieving "regime change" and
democratizing Armenia. Five of the seven members of its governing
board are young civic activists who were not affiliated with any
political parties in the past.
"I can say things about Serzh Sarkisian and his clan that would
make you get goose bumps," Pashinian said on Monday, commenting
on anti-government statements made by leaders of the HAK, the BHK
and Zharangutyun, a third opposition party involved in the ongoing
protests. "But that's not what matters. What matters is to make good
on your promises after saying such things."
"We will be moderate in giving people promises. But we will fulfill
each of our promises," he added.
Pashinian and his associates announced in that regard that Civil
Contract will seek to cobble together an alternative anti-government
alliance genuinely committed to "regime change." They said they will
embark on consultations with other opposition forces, civic groups
and individual activists for that purpose soon.
As well as criticizing the HAK, the BHK and Zharangutyun, Pashinian
said Civil Contract will back the opposition trio if it explicitly
demands Sarkisian's immediate resignation.
http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/50519
October 14, 2014
Azatutyun - Anew political group led by Nikol Pashinian, an outspoken
opposition figure, accused Armenian opposition heavyweights on
Monday of misleading the public with their ongoing anti-government
demonstrations, saying that they are not aimed at toppling President
Serzh Sarkisian.
Pashinian and senior members of his Civil Contract movement claimed
that former President Levon Ter-Petrosian and Prosperous Armenia Party
(BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian are keen to cut power-sharing deals with
Sarkisian, rather than force him to step down or call snap elections.
Pashinian claimed that Ter-Petrosian for years fed his supporters
with false promises of impending fresh elections after the 2008
post-election government crackdown on his opposition movement. "As
you know, I was part of that process, and I admit my share of
responsibility for that," he told a news conference. "I'm sorry,
but repeating the same thing is not right, to say the least."
Pashinian, 38, was a key backer of Ter-Petrosian's 2008 bid to return
to power by scuttling a handover of power from outgoing President
Robert Kocharian to Sarkisian in a disputed presidential election.
Like dozens of other oppositionists, the former newspaper editor
went into hiding following a deadly suppression of Ter-Petrosian's
post-election street protests in Yerevan. He subsequently surrendered
to law-enforcement bodies and spent nearly two years in prison on
controversial charges.
Pashinian fell out with Ter-Petrosian in 2012, strongly objecting
to the ex-president's pursuit of close cooperation with Tsarukian's
BHK because of the latter's alleged links to Kocharian. He remains
nominally affiliated with the parliamentary faction of Ter-Petrosian's
Armenian National Congress (HAK) despite having severed links with
the opposition party.
Pashinian, who is popular with many opposition supporters for his
tough anti-government rhetoric, officially set up Civil Contract
late last year with the stated aim of achieving "regime change" and
democratizing Armenia. Five of the seven members of its governing
board are young civic activists who were not affiliated with any
political parties in the past.
"I can say things about Serzh Sarkisian and his clan that would
make you get goose bumps," Pashinian said on Monday, commenting
on anti-government statements made by leaders of the HAK, the BHK
and Zharangutyun, a third opposition party involved in the ongoing
protests. "But that's not what matters. What matters is to make good
on your promises after saying such things."
"We will be moderate in giving people promises. But we will fulfill
each of our promises," he added.
Pashinian and his associates announced in that regard that Civil
Contract will seek to cobble together an alternative anti-government
alliance genuinely committed to "regime change." They said they will
embark on consultations with other opposition forces, civic groups
and individual activists for that purpose soon.
As well as criticizing the HAK, the BHK and Zharangutyun, Pashinian
said Civil Contract will back the opposition trio if it explicitly
demands Sarkisian's immediate resignation.
http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/50519