YEREVAN. – In fact, the positions of the non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) have seriously weakened, if it is not at all driven off from the political arena.

Caucasus Institute Director, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan stated the above-said at a press conference on Thursday, but he added that this is not happening for the first time. In his words, the first time this happened was in December 2012, when PAP Chairman Gagik Tsarukyan decided not to run in the 2013 presidential election.

“What occurred in domestic politics was expected, and it ended as it was expected,” Iskandaryan said. “Something needs to be combined for a real unity of the [country’s] political forces, which [i.e. the something] is not observed.”

As per the analyst, “The authorities have the means to have a bearing on Mr. Tsarukyan and his decisions.” He added that the interesting thing here was the society’s expectations.

“There is a demand for revolutionary rhetoric in the country. Politics is a market; and if there is demand, there will also be an offer. This demand is so great that the people are willing to listen to anti-oligarchic rhetoric from the lips of an oligarch,” Alexander Iskandaryan stressed, in particular.

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.

On Tuesday, however, Serzh Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan held a brokered talk, and on Wednesday, the PAP leader issued a statement. “(…). To solve the existing problems in Armenia, we need not wage war against each other, but work calmly, without insulting each other, show all existing shortcomings, find solutions and implement them (…). [But] I note with regret that, during the last few days, the processes in our country are going in a completely different course; this direction leads to no place good (…). We cannot continue like this (…). Not crossing the boundary of reason is the task of both the authorities and the opposition. All problems must be solved in a peaceful, lawful, [and] political way,” Gagik Tsarukyan’s statement specifically ran.