YEREVAN. – President Serzh Sargsyan, having no doubts that Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) former Chairman, MP and oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan will no longer dare to go against him, has entrusted to him the matter of selecting the new mayor of Abovyan city, Zhoghovurd daily reported.
“And the candidate shall be such that he will able to govern Abovyan so that neither Tsarukyan’s apolitical life nor Sargsyan’s policy suffers from it.
“Zhoghovurd has learned that Tsarukyan has decided to nominate Vahagn Gevorgyan, his assistant in the NA [i.e. the National Assembly], to this post. According to information, Tsarukyan will soon meet with Sargsyan to present him his decision in connection with this matter.
“By the way, Zhoghovurd has learned that Tsarukyan has purchased the BMW representation in Armenia (…). This is also an evidence of the fact that Sargsyan has returned to apolitical Tsarukyan his ‘freedom,’” Zhoghovurd wrote.
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 then-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 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, noting that the incumbent authorities must be removed from power immediately. In addition, he urged to achieve Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation by way of lawful political methods.
On February 17, however, Serzh Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan held a brokered talk, and on the next day, the then-PAP leader issued a milder statement. He also called off the rally that was slated for February 20.
And on March 5, Tsarukyan announced that he is quitting the PAP and active politics, PAP National Assembly Faction Secretary Naira Zohrabyan was elected new leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, and she declared the latter—which had been a non-pro-government force—an opposition party. Subsequently, however, numerous members have started quitting the party.
