Reports say president Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan meet

YEREVAN, February 17. / ARKA /. Armenian media reports on Tuesday said President Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with one of the wealthiest businessmen and the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan.

No official information about the meeting was reported, but according to some reports the meeting was mediated by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) party.

According to reports, the parties reached a certain agreement. A senior ARF member was quoted as saying that each side will come out with a statement.

The meeting comes in the wake of rising tension  between the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and 

The Prosperous Armenia.

Speaking at a last Thursday meeting of the executive board of the  Republican Party of Armenia President Sargsyan lashed out at his former coalition partner 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, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party 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.' 

Gagik 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. 

Prosperous Armenia is the second largest force in the parliament controlling 36 seats. It was part of coalition governments from 2007 to 2012. According to some estimates, Tsarukyan is the third-richest person of Armenia. On February 20, the party and its key allies, the Armenian National Congress and Heritage, plan to hold a joint rally in Yerevan to press for Sargsyan's ouster. ---0----