Tsarukyan says he was offered presidential post after making Armenia parliamentary republic

YEREVAN, February 13. / ARKA /. Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, who came under an unusually harsh attack by President Serzh Sargsyan yesterday, said today he was offered the post of president of the country but only after constitutional reforms that would  turn Armenia into a parliamentary republic.

Speaking at a meeting of senior members of the party today Tsarukyan 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.

"I want to be sincere. I was offered various options of cooperation, personal lucrative offers, including the post of president but only after turning Armenia into a parliamentary republic, but on condition that I agree to the reproduction of power," said Tsarukyan.

According to Tsarukyan, he was, as a matter of fact, asked to help fulfill the desire of the current head of state to govern the country for life by amending the constitution.

"I firmly rejected that anti-state approach, because a person responsible for the country’s regression can not have such ambitions. It was my strong position that made Sargsyan break the rules of political and human relations. This is the reality and nothing more, " said Tsarukyan. According to him, a war is declared on him. 

"I accept the challenge and will go to the bitter end,"  he said.

Tsarukyan’s statement came in retaliation to a Thursday meeting of the executive board of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia where president Sargsyan lashed out at him describing him as ‘a scourge for the country who lacks intelligence, skills and education to govern Armenia.’ Speaking at the meeting president 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. 

President Sargsyan said also he will convene a meeting of the National Security Council today to discuss   rumors  that Tsarukyan has set up a “mechanism for a professional cover-up of many crimes.” 

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 –