YEREVAN. – “If these contracts were so calamitous, where were the leaders of your party [i.e., the non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP)]. It means that they [i.e., the agreements] have no such devastating consequences.” 

National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker, ruling Republican Party (RPA) Press Secretary Eduard Sharmazanov stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Thursday. 

Sharmazanov commented on the agreement, pursuant to which the remaining 20 percent of the ArmRusGazprom Company shares, which the Government of Armenia owns, will be sold to the Russian energy giant Gazprom Company.  

“And I have not heard, to this day, [respective] views from the [PAP] party leader [i.e., businessman Gagik Tsarukyan],” he said.

In the NA vice-chair’s words, opposition Heritage Party Chairman, ex-presidential candidate and former FM, Raffi Hovannisian, and opposition Armenian National Congress Party Chairman and First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan likewise have not offered a position on the “natural gas” agreement.

The RPA spokesperson added that this is the very reason that the protestors among the Armenian society do not pin hopes on the opposition.