YEREVAN. - Deputy Chairman of Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), Vardan Vardanyan on Monday told Armenian News – NEWS.am that the list of Tsarukyan bloc candidates, who will receive deputy mandates, will become known in a few days.
It is yet under discussion who and according to which standards will receive them. The first factor for receiving a mandate—leadership as per the voting results—is also among the standards, but not with regard to all candidates.
According to the circulated information, bloc leader Gagik Tsarukyan has forced all the candidates to sign withdrawal applications so that he can pick up “those deserving” at his own discretion. Pursuant to the information, the list of “those deserving” lacks certain candidates, who appeared as leaders in territorial candidates, with regard to which dissatisfaction is rising within the party.
The list of these candidates also includes yazidi Artur Mamoyan, who came first in Nor Nork administrative district. Several days ago the latter confirmed to Armenian News – NEWS.am that he won’t enter the parliament, this being due to his character, whereas there are news that Mamoyan won’t tolerate injustice towards him and will write an application to leave PAP.
PAP Deputy Chairman assured that he has heard nothing about the dissatisfaction of the candidates. “Everything is in the stage of discussion…We will consider the votes, activity, conduct, involvement in the party activity, everything.”
Asked whether it is possible for candidates who are leaders according to voting results not to make it to the parliament, being replaced by candidate who won fewer votes, Vardan Vardanyan said: “We will see this in the discussion stage. I can’t tell that now: a decision should be made.”
Referring to the wave of dissatisfaction rising in the parliament and the possibility that certain candidates may leave the party as a result, he noted: “I am expressing my point of view: There are no such sentiments, but if there are people who wish to leave the party, let them do that, what’s wrong? One person leaves and 100 join. There is and will be no injustice factor in our party.”
To the question as to why the candidates are forced to write withdrawal applications then, Vardanyan said: “I can’t respond to that question.”
In fact, passions are rising in Tsarukyan bloc over the post of parliamentary deputy speaker: there are many candidates but former chairman of the Control Chamber, Ishkhan Zakaryan, is considered the most possible one. Vardanyan noted that it is yet not certain which candidate they will choose.
According to the legislation, the post of one of the parliamentary deputy speakers should be assumed by the representative of the largest opposition faction, i.e. Tsarukyan bloc.
