This is the statement made yesterday by the chairman of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Gagik Tsarukyan as a response to announcements of the chairman of the National Unity Party, Artashes Geghamyan, where he gives unreasonable reasons why Tsarukyan established his party.
According to National Unity leader Artashes Geghamyan alleged earlier that Tsarukyan set up his Prosperous Armenia party more than a year ago to avoid assassination at the hands of Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan. “They had hired a hit-man to kill Gagik Tsarukyan,” Geghamyan said, referring to Sarkisyan and his controversial brother Alexander. “The case was solved.” He said President Robert Kocharyan was informed of the alleged plot before sacking the chief of Armenia’s National Security Service in 2005 and ordering a crackdown on Alexander’s’ businesses. “As a result, the former head of the National Security Service, Carlos Petrosyan resigned, Sashik Sargsyan left for the USA, Mushegh from Ashtarak was killed in mysterious circumstances, and naturally people understood that if Serge Sargsyan becomes president, the country will be in a terrible situation. This was the precondition of the creation of Prosperous Armenia. Naturally, people realized what a terrible situation will arise in Armenia if, God forbid, Serzh Sargysyan, becomes president of the republic,” claimed the outspoken oppositionist. “That is the reason why Prosperous Armenia was set up.” Moreover, Geghamyan is sure that because of that Tsarukyan will never protect the candidacy of Serj Sargsyan. However, Tsarukyan was quick to reject the allegations as “absurd.” “His stories have nothing to do with reality,” the pro-Kocharyan tycoon said in a statement. “If Mr. Geghamyan has some political problems, then he had better not try to solve them by turning other political figures and forces against each other through a provocation.”
During his yesterday’s conference Geghamyan announced that the pro-governmental media is trying to dispose Tsarukyan and him against each other in order to “solve the problems connected with us and drop into the gorge.” “However the government doesn’t have any more means to apply those stingy methods. They have crossed the limit of murders and let them never think that they can succeed in terrorizing someone and put the guilt on him,” said Geghamyan and added that he’s well aware of the “conspiracies”.
To the question how the National Unity is going to compete with the Prosperous Armenia, which has over 400.000 members, Geghamyan answered that he doubted that the numbers are exaggerated. “Even the census results are not refreshed as often as he refreshes the results of his party members. That’s unrealistic,” he said and added that the number of party members is 46.000. Later, he also informed the Prosperous Armenia that the party, which doesn’t give political evaluation, is sentenced to failure.
During the conference questions were asked about the National Unity-PPA and all the other possible coalitions. Geghamyan mentioned that there is a possibility of making coalitions with all the oppositional forces but so far nothing is clarified. To the question how Geghamyan is going to closely cooperate with Demirchyan and the chair of the New Times Party, Aram Karapetyan in the event of not supporting Demirchyan in 2003 Presidential elections and suing Karapetyan, he answered, “Everything changes, everything flows, people change. If there is need to participate in an alliance we will.” This means that Geghamyan didn’t stand next to Demirchyan after the first round of Presidential elections 2003 because there was no need.
P.S. Yesterday Geghamyan during his press conference wished good luck to those activists of the “Ailentrank” (Alternative) civil-political movement, who are going to hold rallies after February 20. He also added that some day they will tell whether they are going to participate in the rallies or not. It depends, how favorable it is to the national interests Armenia.