Prosperous Armenia Party to have emergency congress on March 5

YEREVAN, February 25. / ARKA /. The Prosperous Armenia Party, which has the second largest faction in the parliament, will convene an extraordinary congress on March 5, the press service of the party said today. According to rumors, the party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, may announce his resignation as head of the party at the gathering.

Five members of the party's parliamentary faction have already left it since the start of a government crackdown against party leader Tsarukyan two weeks ago. 

Speaking at a February 12 meeting of the executive board of the Republican Party of Armenia president Sargsyan lashed out at Gagik Tsarukyan, his former coalition member,  describing him as ‘a scourge for the country who lacks intelligence, skills and education to govern Armenia.’ 

Sargsyan told prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan to instruct corresponding bodies to thoroughly investigate the veracity of “unverified reports” implicating Tsarukyan in large-scale tax evasion. 

In retaliation to Sargsyan’s crackdown, Tsarukyan said the following day that the current situation in the country requires solution and 'the only solution is a complete change of power through extraordinary presidential elections.' 

Tsarukyan said also he was offered the post of president of the country but only after constitutional reforms that would turn Armenia into a parliamentary republic. He claimed that the reform is aimed at enabling Sargsyan to stay in power after the end of his second and final presidential term in 2018. Tsarukyan said he declined the offer causing Sargsyan’s anger. 

After a February 18 meeting between Sargsyan and Tsarukyan the latter’s party cited the “tense emotional state of society” to cancel a February 20 rally to demand the president’s resignation.

Prosperous Armenia was part of coalition governments from 2007 to 2012. According to some estimates, Tsarukyan is the third-richest person of Armenia. -0-