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OPPOSITION IN SHAMBLES?: ANALYSTS SAY PAP "BREAKDOWN" LEAVES ARMENIA WITH NO MAJOR FORCE OPPOSED TO GOVERNMENT
POLITICS | 26.02.15 | 10:17
By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Following the dramatic developments of recent days around the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) many analysts say there is no major
opposition force left in Armenia and no political party will be able
to rise up to that level in the near future.
The PAP led by tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan tried to mount a challenge to
President Serzh Sargsyan, but quickly backed off amid a government
crackdown that included detentions of its members who own businesses
as well as threats to prosecute Tsarukyan himself over tax evasion.
The PAP is preparing for its "extraordinary" convention that will be
held on March 5. Meanwhile, five members of its parliamentary faction
have already quit it. And some of the party lawmakers also recently
met with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan to discuss issues related to
"small and medium-sized enterprises".
The opposition, if not has been destroyed, then it is has been
considerably weakened, political analyst Sergey Minasyan said at a
press conference on Wednesday.
"We understand how the events will develop within the PAP, but it
cannot have any positive impact on Armenia's political life. The
political career of Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan,
if not ended, then has been frozen," the political analyst said.
Tsarukyan angered the current administration by an apparent "ultimatum"
to give up the constitutional reform or face a campaign of sustained
street protests demanding early presidential and parliamentary
elections. The PAP leader made those statements at a conference of
"non-governing" forces on February 5.
On February 12, President Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia, lashed out at Tsarukyan and effectively
called on his party to oust the PAP leader from Armenian politics. On
February 15, Tsarukyan's PAP and its two opposition allies, the
Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Heritage met to discuss their
response and scheduled a joint rally for February 20, but the PAP
called it off after Tsarukyan's conciliatory remarks several days
later.
It is remarkable that Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian and his
supporters did turn out for the rally not attended by the PAP and the
ANC. Then Hovannisian declared that the troika effectively did not
exist any longer. He said that they no longer "play these games" and
that the ANC rally scheduled for March 1 will provide a "breakthrough".
The actions against Tsarukyan were an attempt to put an end to
the situation created in February and the authorities did it by
decapitating one of the leading organizing forces, ANC parliamentary
leader Levon Zurabyan said.
"At this moment the PAP is out of the game. Now the PAP itself should
say where it stands. After coming under an intimidation campaign the
PAP has said nothing," Zurabyan told RFE/RL's Armenian Service. "Now
the March 1 rally will be a test for the forces that continue their
struggle in the name of Armenia no matter what terror they have been
subjected to by the regime."
Pressure on the PAP leader appears to continue. While Tsarukyan
has not yet been stripped of his parliamentary seat over "chronic
absenteeism", Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan said that the current
RPA position is not different from that expressed by President Sargsyan
on February 12.
"I think that the PAP should come up with a new strategy. As for who
will lead this new party strategy is not known to me," he said.
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/60963/armenia_prosperous_party_convention_politics_oppos ition_rally
POLITICS | 26.02.15 | 10:17
By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Following the dramatic developments of recent days around the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) many analysts say there is no major
opposition force left in Armenia and no political party will be able
to rise up to that level in the near future.
The PAP led by tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan tried to mount a challenge to
President Serzh Sargsyan, but quickly backed off amid a government
crackdown that included detentions of its members who own businesses
as well as threats to prosecute Tsarukyan himself over tax evasion.
The PAP is preparing for its "extraordinary" convention that will be
held on March 5. Meanwhile, five members of its parliamentary faction
have already quit it. And some of the party lawmakers also recently
met with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan to discuss issues related to
"small and medium-sized enterprises".
The opposition, if not has been destroyed, then it is has been
considerably weakened, political analyst Sergey Minasyan said at a
press conference on Wednesday.
"We understand how the events will develop within the PAP, but it
cannot have any positive impact on Armenia's political life. The
political career of Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan,
if not ended, then has been frozen," the political analyst said.
Tsarukyan angered the current administration by an apparent "ultimatum"
to give up the constitutional reform or face a campaign of sustained
street protests demanding early presidential and parliamentary
elections. The PAP leader made those statements at a conference of
"non-governing" forces on February 5.
On February 12, President Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia, lashed out at Tsarukyan and effectively
called on his party to oust the PAP leader from Armenian politics. On
February 15, Tsarukyan's PAP and its two opposition allies, the
Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Heritage met to discuss their
response and scheduled a joint rally for February 20, but the PAP
called it off after Tsarukyan's conciliatory remarks several days
later.
It is remarkable that Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian and his
supporters did turn out for the rally not attended by the PAP and the
ANC. Then Hovannisian declared that the troika effectively did not
exist any longer. He said that they no longer "play these games" and
that the ANC rally scheduled for March 1 will provide a "breakthrough".
The actions against Tsarukyan were an attempt to put an end to
the situation created in February and the authorities did it by
decapitating one of the leading organizing forces, ANC parliamentary
leader Levon Zurabyan said.
"At this moment the PAP is out of the game. Now the PAP itself should
say where it stands. After coming under an intimidation campaign the
PAP has said nothing," Zurabyan told RFE/RL's Armenian Service. "Now
the March 1 rally will be a test for the forces that continue their
struggle in the name of Armenia no matter what terror they have been
subjected to by the regime."
Pressure on the PAP leader appears to continue. While Tsarukyan
has not yet been stripped of his parliamentary seat over "chronic
absenteeism", Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan said that the current
RPA position is not different from that expressed by President Sargsyan
on February 12.
"I think that the PAP should come up with a new strategy. As for who
will lead this new party strategy is not known to me," he said.
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/60963/armenia_prosperous_party_convention_politics_oppos ition_rally