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ANALYST: TSARUKYAN-INITIATED GATHERING WAS WARNING TO SARGSYAN OVER CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PLANS
Analysis | 06.02.15 | 11:28
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
The conference of 'non-governing' forces organized by Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) head Gagik Tsarukyan is a warning, first of all,
for incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan and the rest of the government
as well, so that they give up the idea of reforming the Constitution,
analysts say.
"The ball is in the government's court, but their time is not unlimited
and they have to make up their mind," Tsarukyan said, addressing the
participants in the event. "Public patience is up, indeed. The Gyumri
incident (when a family of seven was murdered in January), the border
tensions, unbearable inflation, instability of the financial market
must have alarmed the government that the society is on the verge
of huge breakdowns. One wrong move, even a wrong word can take the
people out to the streets."
Addressing non-governmental forces' demand to the government to refrain
from constitutional changes, Tsarukyan said that if the government
chooses the option of refusing, then the public has just one thing left
to do - to demand preterm presidential and parliamentary elections.
"Officials should remember that no position is forever, and if the
country's development and the country's security need change of
government, then it must take place."
The PAP head's speech is primarily a warning to President Sargsyan,
said Cooperation for Democracy Center NGO Chairman Stepan Danielyan.
"If Serzh Sargsyan refrains from constitutional changes, it will
be possible to say that Tsarukyan will achieve his goal. The main
conflict refers to constitutional changes. The purpose of those
changes is expanding Serzh Sargsyan's and the Republican Party's rule
for another 10 years," the political analyst told ArmeniaNow.
According to Danielyan, only a constitutional reform can ensure
President Sargsyan continues his solo rule in Armenia until 2018.
"Starting from the moment when he gives up the changes, it will
mean that he will lose full control over the National Assembly and
the government. The reason is clear - nobody will confide with an
outgoing president, everyone will start tying relations with the next
potential president, and an overwhelming majority of members of the
ruling Republican Party as well," Danielyan said.
Tsarukyan has some potential and it is not without reasons that he
sees himself as a 'non-governing' figure, the political analyst added.
"As a matter of fact, certain sections of the government, such as the
army, state structures, as well as the business-affiliated section of
the Republicans, etc. have maintained their relations also with the
'non-governing' camp. Naturally, those ties, with Sargsyan's rule being
improbable and the financial potential of Tsarukyan and his entourage,
are a serious challenge for the current president and his supporters."
Political analyst, member of the You Won't Pass group Armen Grigoryan
shares the analyst's opinion on Tsarukyan's potential.
"Non-governing forces have twice made Sargsyan suspend the
constitutional changes, and at this moment there is a high probability
that they will be able to scuttle [the plans] and win."
"If constitutional changes are cancelled, Serzh Sargsyan will become
very weak, and he will lose his power, and after that there will arise
the question of overtaking the government and one of the potential
candidates is Gagik Tsarukyan," Grigoryan told ArmeniaNow.
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/60407/armenia_prosperous_party_tsarukyan_conference_oppo sition_politics
Analysis | 06.02.15 | 11:28
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
The conference of 'non-governing' forces organized by Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) head Gagik Tsarukyan is a warning, first of all,
for incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan and the rest of the government
as well, so that they give up the idea of reforming the Constitution,
analysts say.
"The ball is in the government's court, but their time is not unlimited
and they have to make up their mind," Tsarukyan said, addressing the
participants in the event. "Public patience is up, indeed. The Gyumri
incident (when a family of seven was murdered in January), the border
tensions, unbearable inflation, instability of the financial market
must have alarmed the government that the society is on the verge
of huge breakdowns. One wrong move, even a wrong word can take the
people out to the streets."
Addressing non-governmental forces' demand to the government to refrain
from constitutional changes, Tsarukyan said that if the government
chooses the option of refusing, then the public has just one thing left
to do - to demand preterm presidential and parliamentary elections.
"Officials should remember that no position is forever, and if the
country's development and the country's security need change of
government, then it must take place."
The PAP head's speech is primarily a warning to President Sargsyan,
said Cooperation for Democracy Center NGO Chairman Stepan Danielyan.
"If Serzh Sargsyan refrains from constitutional changes, it will
be possible to say that Tsarukyan will achieve his goal. The main
conflict refers to constitutional changes. The purpose of those
changes is expanding Serzh Sargsyan's and the Republican Party's rule
for another 10 years," the political analyst told ArmeniaNow.
According to Danielyan, only a constitutional reform can ensure
President Sargsyan continues his solo rule in Armenia until 2018.
"Starting from the moment when he gives up the changes, it will
mean that he will lose full control over the National Assembly and
the government. The reason is clear - nobody will confide with an
outgoing president, everyone will start tying relations with the next
potential president, and an overwhelming majority of members of the
ruling Republican Party as well," Danielyan said.
Tsarukyan has some potential and it is not without reasons that he
sees himself as a 'non-governing' figure, the political analyst added.
"As a matter of fact, certain sections of the government, such as the
army, state structures, as well as the business-affiliated section of
the Republicans, etc. have maintained their relations also with the
'non-governing' camp. Naturally, those ties, with Sargsyan's rule being
improbable and the financial potential of Tsarukyan and his entourage,
are a serious challenge for the current president and his supporters."
Political analyst, member of the You Won't Pass group Armen Grigoryan
shares the analyst's opinion on Tsarukyan's potential.
"Non-governing forces have twice made Sargsyan suspend the
constitutional changes, and at this moment there is a high probability
that they will be able to scuttle [the plans] and win."
"If constitutional changes are cancelled, Serzh Sargsyan will become
very weak, and he will lose his power, and after that there will arise
the question of overtaking the government and one of the potential
candidates is Gagik Tsarukyan," Grigoryan told ArmeniaNow.
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/60407/armenia_prosperous_party_tsarukyan_conference_oppo sition_politics