Rustamyan Appeals for Prudence and Sobriety
YEREVAN (A.W.)—Armenian President and leader of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Serge Sarkisian criticized the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan at an RPA Council meeting on Feb. 12. After a session of the executive council of the PAP today, Tsarukyan responded to Sarkisian’s criticisms and called on the citizens of Armenia to “prepare for struggle.”
President Sarkisian and Gagik Tsarukyan (Photo: Slaq.am)
Sarkisian’s strongly-worded speech had specifically targeted the PAP leader, questioning his intellect. Sarkisian referred to Tsarukyan’s politics as a “circus” and said that “as a political actor Tsarukyan has become a vice for our country.” Sarkisian called Tsarukyan “a personality, who controls necessary mechanisms for participation in political processes, but possesses low intellectual capacity, [and] unwittingly becomes a hindrance for any development.”
During his speech, Sarkisian announced that Tsarukyan is to be excluded from the National Security Council because of his constant absence and urged members of the National Assembly to address the issue of the PAP leader’s nonattendance of most parliament sessions, adding, “The supreme security body of the country is not a movie theater, which one may come to and leave when he wishes.” Sarkisian also urged Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian to instruct “corresponding” bodies to examine allegations that Tsarukyan is linked to certain tax evasion schemes.
In his statement at the meeting with fellow PAP parliamentary faction members and party officials, Tsarukyan hit back, calling for regime change. “When 3,000 people come out into the streets, they are forced to modify the law. When all the people fill the streets, the regime will change. I am now calling for a national mobilization with just one goal in mind—using all legal means (rallies, marches, demonstrations, and civil disobedience) to force Serge Sarkisian to leave office and thus rid the country of this menace,” said Tsarukyan
He concluded his statement by proclaiming that he regards the most important work of his life to be “liberating Armenia from this evil regime.”
Tsarukyan also noted that he will be meeting with representatives of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) and the Heritage Party for talks later today.
Tsarukyan’s PAP is the second largest political force in the Armenian Parliament with 36 seats. Although it was a part of the coalition governments between 2007 and 2012, the party now positions itself as an alternative/opposition political force.
Speaking with Yerkir.am, Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Bureau member and head of the party’s political faction, Armen Rustamyan said today that the recent political tensions have entered a new and dangerous stage. “The growing political debate is entering a new stage of heightened intolerance, personal attacks, and dangerous confrontations. This greatly undermines the security of both the country and its people,” said Rustamyan.
Rustamyan went on to say that the recent statements of both the Prosperous Armenia Party and the Republican Party confirm the ARF-D’s grave concerns about the political landscape of the country. He stressed that the separation of business and politics and the proper implementation of the rule of law are necessary in the social and political life of Armenia.
Rustamyan concluded his remarks with the following: “In these difficult and dangerous times full of both internal and external challenges, socio-economic problems and a tense border situation, each of us has the responsibility to approach these issues in a sober, mutually tolerant, and highly political manner. Today, when our borders are under constant enemy attack and we as a nation prepare to commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, we are all required to show the world that we are united as a people. We [the ARF-D] are convinced that the present tensions and conflict are not in the best interest of our state and nation. We instead call for prudence, sobriety and unity.”
The post Tensions Rise as Tsarukyan Calls for Regime Change appeared first on Armenian Weekly.