No-Tsarukian PAP will be completely different, political technologist says
06.03.2015,
12:14
The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) will maintain its political force status, but will change into a completely different party, political technologist Vigen Hakobyan said on Spitnik-Armenia air on Thursday, as cited by Novosti-Armenia.
YEREVAN, March 6. /ARKA/. The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) will maintain its political force status, but will change into a completely different party, political technologist Vigen Hakobyan said on Spitnik-Armenia air on Thursday, as cited by Novosti-Armenia.
Member of parliament from PAP Naira Zohrabyan was elected as the head of the party at Thursday’s election. Zohrabyan said the party has moved into opposition. Zohrabyan was nominated by PAP ex-leader tycoon Gagik Tsarukian.
“PAP headed by Tsarukian and PAP without Tsarukian is two different things”, Hakobyan said.
The political technologist said throughout the years of his party leadership Tsarukian has been avoiding the opposition status. He declared himself an alternative first and a power-off party later, Hakobyan said.
Today Tsarukian has to leave the field as, being an alternative, he demanded a snap election, the expert said. Yet, PAP’s new leader claimed the party moves into opposition but said nothing about demanding a snap election, Hakobyan said.
The expert also said the tycoon will try to stay away from political processes to prove he has nothing to do with the party anymore.
“It is difficult to say right now who will take the leadership in the opposition field,” the expert said adding that the fight for leadership has just started.
“I am sure the authorities will get involved in the fighting as well, to bring forces convenient to them to the field,” Hakobyan said.
Prosperous Armenia, a moderate centrist liberal-leaning party, was established in April 2004 by Gagik Tsarukyan, a prominent entrepreneur. In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the party won 36 of 131 seats in the National Assembly forming the second biggest faction here. According to some estimates, Tsarukian is one of the top three richest men in the country. –0--
