YEREVAN. – At the end of the now historic meeting of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Board, a member of the RPA “Senate” asked President Serzh Sargsyan, “And if [non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Chairman] Gagik Tsarukyan were to apologize, will you forgive him?”, Hraparak daily reported.
‘“At this point, I can’t say what developments will occur and how the PAP will behave. My decision is clear, but nothing can be ruled out either,’ he responded.
“The PAP’s response reaction, which, by the way, was not heard from Gagik Tsarukyan’s lips, also was thought-out so that a room would be left to ‘reverse.’
“Nonetheless, this response, according to our source, angered Serzh Sargsyan very much. For this reason, those close to the PAP and the RPA invited to Armenia [Russian Armenian businessmen] Samvel Karapetyan and Karen Karapetyan that they seek reconciliation between the [conflicting] sides,” Hraparak wrote.
As reported earlier, speaking at the February 12 meeting of the 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.
