Russian pundit: Moscow cannot back oligarchs in Armenia – 168.am
11:09 * 14.02.15
The Armenian news website 168.am has interviewed Modest Kolerov, a
Moscow-based analyst and the editor in chief of the news agency
Regnum.
Mr Kolerov, in a surprise move yesterday (Feb 12), Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan lashed out against Gagik Tsarukyan, the Prosperous
Armenia party’s leader. Some believe there is nothing strange about
such a way to address Tsarukyan’s activities after his visit to
Moscow. Do you think it is worth looking for such a connection?
I think Mr Tsarukyan tried to put the cart before the horse by
arriving in Moscow to conduct meetings in . What Serzh Sargsyan did
was not a response but rather, probably, observations planned long
before. People more or less familiar with the political situation in
Armenia know that a large share of the problems in Armenia have to do
with the oligarchs, so to say, their non-transparent activity and tax
and custom failures. That’s to say, Armenia’s entire population pays
for those people’s welfare and political weight.
Can Gagik Tsaarukyan enjoy the Kremlin’s backing?
No, he cannot. If the person in question was a respected political
figure, a benefactor or businessman, there would be no problem. But if
that person creates an opposition, he must to notify – clearly and in
detail – what alternative he proposes with his candidacy. We haven’t
heard the answer to that question from him. And if there is no
alternative, nobody will receive backing from Moscow. If the
opposition says it supports the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty
Organzization)s, the EEU (European Economic Union) and special
relations with Russia, while at the same time maintaining ties with
oligarchs, what do we get? Nothing new.