PROSPEROUS ARMENIA MORE CLEARLY PERCEIVED AS OPPOSITION PARTY – HOVHANNES SAHAKYAN
20:19 * 05.03.15
Hovhannes Sahakyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia welcomes the Prosperous Armenia
party’s statement on joining the opposition camp.
“Therefore, at least in terms of classical politics, we are going to
have a situation that would be in conformity with present perceptions –
the Opposition is Opposition, while the authorities are authorities,”
Mr Sahakyan said.
He points out an interesting fact of a woman politician elected as
party chairperson.
Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan has announced his retirement
from politics, and the Prosperous Armenia party has declared itself an
opposition political force. As to whether it follows political logic,
Mr Sahakyan said:
“We accept Gagik Tsarukyan’s decision to retire from politics. As
to how well it follows political logic, it is up to him and his
fellow-members to decide on whether it is acceptable to them. We,
for our part, respect Mr Tsarukyan’s decision and I think that each
individual has a right to decide on his or her future and activities.”
The Prosperous Armenia party has declared itself an opposition
political force. Asked if it is a more acceptable option than an
“alternative,” considering statements by political figures and analysts
that political forces are normally pro-government or opposition ones,
Mr Sahakyan said:
“As a person that has certain responsibility in Armenia’s Parliament,
I much better understand a situation when the Opposition is Opposition
and authorities are authorities. You cannot claim you are not an
opposition force if you are even more radical and tough than other
opposition forces. Therefore, at least in terms of classical politics,
we are going to have a situation that would be in conformity with
present perceptions – the Opposition is Opposition, while the
authorities are authorities.”
The main message at the meeting of the Political Council of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) on February 12 was that Armenia’s
politics needs to be cleared of “counterproductive elements.”
As a result, only political figures are now among the Prosperous
Armenia party members, while businessmen have left. However, they
continue as MPs.
“We have first-past-the-post and proportional representation voting
systems. I would like to note that constitutional reforms envisage
larger-scale reforms for our people to make their own assessment of
political teams’ programs. In this context, I think that people that
can be of help could continue as MPs. But we hold the opinion that it
is only political figures that can engage in politics. I think that
time will come when there will not be any need for certain steps, such
as explanatory work. Conditions will enable businessmen to do their
business, doctors to do their job and lawyers to do their job. And
when we look back on the period when Armenia gained independence,
we see that time must come when we have a professional parliament.”
It is for the first time in Armenia’s history that a woman has been
elected chairperson of Armenia’s second largest political party.
“We are a democratic state which is moving toward being a rule-of-law
state. I would like to remind you that we have women-leaders of
political parties, a woman-spokesperson of Armenia’s Parliament and
a woman-minister. And the second largest political force with led by
a woman is of interest to me as well. As regards Naira Zohrabyan as a
politician, she is a rather active and promptly responding person. But
a political force’s influence does not depend on its leader.
Therefore, it is too early to make assessments. Let us wish her
success in her activities in conformity with democratic and legal
standards of a rule-of-law state.”