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IS THERE A FUTURE FOR THE PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY?
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 9 2015
9 March 2015 - 10:44am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Especially for Vestnik Kavkaza
An extraordinary congress of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) on
March 5 responded to questions related to the future activities of
the party. PAP's leader, big businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, told the
Congress of his decision to resign as party chairman and head of the
parliamentary faction, as well as to withdraw from active politics.
"In every possible political way I tried to fight for a solution to
the problems of concern to our people. However, I have always been
against a "Maidan" and could not forgive myself for the blood of
even one innocent person. This is the limit that is beyond my power,"
Tsarukyan said, adding that he will continue to assist in the spheres
of culture, education, science and sport, and will build churches,
schools and gyms.
Congress delegates almost unanimously elected the secretary of the
parliamentary faction of the same name as the new leader of the PAP,
Naira Zohrabyan, whose candidacy was proposed by Tsarukyan. As PAP
political council deputy, Vardan Vardanyan was elected former Minister
of Urban Development. So the party Congress gave an answer to the
first important question about the political future of Tsarukyan.
Despite numerous predictions of some experts and pro-government media
that as a result of confrontation with the authorities Tsarukyan
will leave politics and give up his parliamentary seat, he retired
from politics only de jure and de facto remained in the PAP and will
continue to have an indirect impact on political processes. Tsarukyan
remains in politics in a different status - an ordinary member of
the faction and a party member.
The second important aspect is that it is unlikely that the forecasts
are correct that PAP will break up into several parts. Yes, some of
its members have left PAP, including the mayors of Abovyan and Gyumri,
but these people are related to business, and government has some
leverage on them. It is possible that someone else will also leave PAP,
but the party, as the second largest force in the country, is likely to
remain. Ex-Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan left PAP, but he remained
in the faction, and apparently will continue to represent Armenia at
international events. Another thing is that he is no longer able to
affect intra-party decisions. Oskanyan explained his departure by the
fact that the party failed to implement the desire of the absolute
majority of the population to implement radical changes and put the
country on the right path of development.
Oskanyan's exit from the party outlined the scope of a third important
factor - the reduction of the influence of PAP ex-president Robert
Kocharyan. The processes occurring in the party have led to a fall in
the number of PAP people associated with Kocharyan. Many believe that
Kocharyan has lost much influence on the party and now his figure is
seen as potentially weak. Most likely, Kocharyan, who was the author
of the PAP project, seeing it as a springboard to return to power as
prime minister, has been defeated.
Attention should be paid to two important points. Firstly, at the end
of the congress the new leader of PAP, Naira Zohrabyan, declared that
the party is now in the opposition. Until now, PAP de jure called
itself an alternative to the authorities and representatives of the
PAP did not use the term "opposition". Secondly, the representatives
of the party said that the PAP is an opponent of the constitutional
reforms initiated by the government. The question of constitutional
reforms is most important to President Serzh Sargsyan, who after the
end of his second term plans to reproduce with them his authority.
According to political technologist Armen Badalyan, the results
of attack on the PAP, the tax and law-enforcement agencies have
demonstrated the weaknesses of PAP compared to the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia. The ruling party much better and more cleverly
uses its outreach and financial resources than the PAP. However,
Badalyan is sure that the PAP approach is right, which did not go for
direct confrontation with the authorities: "Politics is the art of the
possible; if you can attack - attack; if not, then do not attack. The
retreat of PAP is the right step. I think that PAP should be grateful
to Serzh Sargsyan, whose speech played the role of an indicator in
determining the power of their own shortcomings."
Of course, as a result of confrontation with the authorities, PAP
suffered some losses - there was some outflow from the party, and
the whereabouts of the PAP-controlled television channel "Ketron"
("Center"), which, according to some media, came under the control of
the authorities. In addition, PAP suffered damage to its image, since
the party has not kept its promise and refused to hold a rally on
February 20. However, with proper and timely steps, PAP can restore
its position in the political field. However, despite the uproar
raised by official propaganda, PAP did not incur the losses expected.
Some experts believe that in the political field of Armenia there
was only one change - the change of PAP's leader.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/67549.html
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 9 2015
9 March 2015 - 10:44am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Especially for Vestnik Kavkaza
An extraordinary congress of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) on
March 5 responded to questions related to the future activities of
the party. PAP's leader, big businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, told the
Congress of his decision to resign as party chairman and head of the
parliamentary faction, as well as to withdraw from active politics.
"In every possible political way I tried to fight for a solution to
the problems of concern to our people. However, I have always been
against a "Maidan" and could not forgive myself for the blood of
even one innocent person. This is the limit that is beyond my power,"
Tsarukyan said, adding that he will continue to assist in the spheres
of culture, education, science and sport, and will build churches,
schools and gyms.
Congress delegates almost unanimously elected the secretary of the
parliamentary faction of the same name as the new leader of the PAP,
Naira Zohrabyan, whose candidacy was proposed by Tsarukyan. As PAP
political council deputy, Vardan Vardanyan was elected former Minister
of Urban Development. So the party Congress gave an answer to the
first important question about the political future of Tsarukyan.
Despite numerous predictions of some experts and pro-government media
that as a result of confrontation with the authorities Tsarukyan
will leave politics and give up his parliamentary seat, he retired
from politics only de jure and de facto remained in the PAP and will
continue to have an indirect impact on political processes. Tsarukyan
remains in politics in a different status - an ordinary member of
the faction and a party member.
The second important aspect is that it is unlikely that the forecasts
are correct that PAP will break up into several parts. Yes, some of
its members have left PAP, including the mayors of Abovyan and Gyumri,
but these people are related to business, and government has some
leverage on them. It is possible that someone else will also leave PAP,
but the party, as the second largest force in the country, is likely to
remain. Ex-Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan left PAP, but he remained
in the faction, and apparently will continue to represent Armenia at
international events. Another thing is that he is no longer able to
affect intra-party decisions. Oskanyan explained his departure by the
fact that the party failed to implement the desire of the absolute
majority of the population to implement radical changes and put the
country on the right path of development.
Oskanyan's exit from the party outlined the scope of a third important
factor - the reduction of the influence of PAP ex-president Robert
Kocharyan. The processes occurring in the party have led to a fall in
the number of PAP people associated with Kocharyan. Many believe that
Kocharyan has lost much influence on the party and now his figure is
seen as potentially weak. Most likely, Kocharyan, who was the author
of the PAP project, seeing it as a springboard to return to power as
prime minister, has been defeated.
Attention should be paid to two important points. Firstly, at the end
of the congress the new leader of PAP, Naira Zohrabyan, declared that
the party is now in the opposition. Until now, PAP de jure called
itself an alternative to the authorities and representatives of the
PAP did not use the term "opposition". Secondly, the representatives
of the party said that the PAP is an opponent of the constitutional
reforms initiated by the government. The question of constitutional
reforms is most important to President Serzh Sargsyan, who after the
end of his second term plans to reproduce with them his authority.
According to political technologist Armen Badalyan, the results
of attack on the PAP, the tax and law-enforcement agencies have
demonstrated the weaknesses of PAP compared to the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia. The ruling party much better and more cleverly
uses its outreach and financial resources than the PAP. However,
Badalyan is sure that the PAP approach is right, which did not go for
direct confrontation with the authorities: "Politics is the art of the
possible; if you can attack - attack; if not, then do not attack. The
retreat of PAP is the right step. I think that PAP should be grateful
to Serzh Sargsyan, whose speech played the role of an indicator in
determining the power of their own shortcomings."
Of course, as a result of confrontation with the authorities, PAP
suffered some losses - there was some outflow from the party, and
the whereabouts of the PAP-controlled television channel "Ketron"
("Center"), which, according to some media, came under the control of
the authorities. In addition, PAP suffered damage to its image, since
the party has not kept its promise and refused to hold a rally on
February 20. However, with proper and timely steps, PAP can restore
its position in the political field. However, despite the uproar
raised by official propaganda, PAP did not incur the losses expected.
Some experts believe that in the political field of Armenia there
was only one change - the change of PAP's leader.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/67549.html