Last week a series of media sources in Armenia spread unofficial information that the former President Robert Kocharyan is going to be appointed deputy-director of the Gazprom and is going to supervise the southern activity of the company.
This information has not been confirmed or denied yet, however the Russian RBK Daily publicized noteworthy information. The daily tried to find out from the Gazprom about the possibility of Kocharyan’s appointment on this post; however the company stated that it wouldn’t be able to confirm this information. Nevertheless, the commentator of the RBK Daily provided important information about this topic. In his opinion Gazprom is turning into an employment agency for the ones, who have previously occupied high positions and whose interests match with the ones of the Russian Federation. The Daily drew parallels with the former German Chancellor Gerard Shrewder, who governed the Nord Stream project of the mentioned Russian company. The Russian daily quoted the opinion of the National Energy Institute of Moscow Sergey Pravosudov, who is pretty skeptical about the appointment of Kocharyan as deputy director of Gazprom. “There is no such position in Gazprom. There is only a position of the chairman of the board of directors and deputy-chairmen of the board. As much as I know among them is the official for the foreign affairs Valeri Golubev and the officer of the export department is Alexander Medvedev. For me it is personally unclear what position the second President of Armenia can occupy in Gazprom.” In the meantime Pravosudov reminded that during the presidency of Kocharyan the Russian Gazprom had everything it wanted in Armenia and implemented everything through its sister company ArmRusGazArd, which had full monopoly in Armenia in the sector of gas service and gasification. It even governs the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. Recently in Yerevan Gazprom Bank was opened. All this allows Pravosudov to draw a conclusion, “If Kocharyan submitted the management of ArmRuzGazArd it would be logical.” However not everyone shares this opinion. Specifically Skakov thinks that the movement of the second President of Armenia to Gazprom may have political motives. “Indeed, Russia has grounds to thank Kocharyan. Besides that the government change in Yerevan cannot cause certain cautiousness for Kocharyan. Despite the fact that the newly elected President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan is considered the heir of Robert Kocharyan it doesn’t guarantee the security of Kocharyan. The level of their friendship cannot be underestimated. Kocharyan’s team was looking for an alternative for Sargsyan for a long time. It is not an accident that Kocharyan established the Prosperous Armenia Party, which occupied the second place in the parliamentary run. He needed extra support. And he can find that support in Moscow,” said Skakov to the Russian Daily. He also said that the rumors about the possibility of Kocharyan’s appointment are no news, “There were discussions about the possibility of offering a position in the CIS or the Commonwealth Agreement of CIS states. However it would cause the discontent of Azerbaijan. Kocharyan’s presence in the second organization may be considered a sort of a pressure on the NKR conflict resolution. In the regard the option of Gazprom is politically most neutral option and in the meantime it would prevent the possible conflict between Kocharyan and Sargsyan.” At any rate this offer is probably a great award for Kocharyan for stating a close ally for the Russian governmental elite and Armenia’s great job of preventing the possibility of a color revolution.