YEREVAN. – No one is preparing to put pressure on non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader Gagik Tsarukyan.
National Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan informed about the abovementioned to reporters at the parliament on Monday.
“No one is exerting pressure on anyone. There is no—and there will not be—such issue, just as there will be no winners and losers,” Sahakyan stated. “I can say that each political force itself decides to be an opposition, or not.”
As reported earlier, speaking at the February 12 meeting of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Board, President Serzh Sargsyan, who is also chairman of the RPA Board, had stated that PAP Chairman, MP and oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan had become a vice for the country as a political player. He also relieved the PAP leader from his status as a National Security Council (NSC) member, and promised that a process will begin in connection with Tsarukyan’s frequent absence from the parliament sessions.
In response to President Sargsyan’s remarks, Gagik Tsarukyan issued a statement, on February 13, that the incumbent authorities must be removed from power immediately. Reflecting on Sargsyan having him removed from the NSC, the PAP leader noted that he had not left this council earlier solely because of the President’s personal request. As for the plans to strip him of his parliamentary mandate, Tsarukyan said the important thing for him is the trust of the Armenian citizens, and therefore he possesses the most important mandate. In addition, the Prosperous Armenia Party chairman urged to achieve Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation, but by way of lawful political methods.
