YEREVAN. – The 2rd.am website spoke with Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan, who commented on the most recent political developments in the country.

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 stated, 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.

In light of the aforementioned developments, Kocharyan stated that if Sargsyan’s harsh criticisms of Tsarukyan had the objective of disuniting the PAP by way of putting pressure on the party leader, the respective effect did not succeed. In addition, as per the second President, the PAP was not discredited either. In his words, now any action against Tsarukyan will be assessed as political persecution, and consolidation against the incumbent authorities will get stronger and the prospects for political upheavals in Armenia will be more real

Robert Kocharyan added, however, that the ruling halls of power still have a way out of this situation. And, in his view, this avenue is stopping and not taking any active administrative actions against the PAP chairman, remaining solely within the boundaries of verbal duels, and returning to the political dimension of opposing the opponents.

As per the second President, the intentions, which were expressed during the RPA Board meeting, do not fit within the Constitution of Armenia, and these intentions push the opposition to organizing mass street actions whose consequences are unpredictable.

According to Robert Kocharyan, Armenia’s major problems can be solved solely through a maximally broad consolidation of the society, and restoring the people’s faith in the future of the country. Sadly, as per Kocharyan, what recently occurred has become a strong signal in the opposite direction.