Yesterday during the meeting with journalists a representative of the Prosperous Armenia Party Vardan Bostanjyan stated that the PA doesn’t have any reason not to endorse Serzh Sargsyan.
During the tense period of relations between the PA and RPA, when the coalition sessions are convened twice a week to rectify how the mandates will be shared after elections and how the districts will be distributed, when the RPA attempts to once again receive an oath from the PA on their loyalty to endorse Serzh Sargsyan in the upcoming presidential elections 2013, this statement of Bostanjyan created a new explosion effect in the political field. Only three days ago these parties were busy exploding each other’s political balloons and writing volumes about the importance of promises and deeds. Moreover, only a few days ago Vardan Bostanjyan stated that “the facts seemingly” show that there is pressure on the PA and it’s desirable that there are opportunities to quell this pressure. After the last meeting of the coalition this statement of Bostanjyan was interpreted as the next surrender of the PA chair Gagik Tsarukyan, which is done as a result of Sargsyan’s pressure. It means that the coalition meetings have given certain results and Gagik Tsarukyan via Bostanjyan tried to say that the PA is loyal to the declaration signed a year ago, which states that the coalition parties will endorse Serzh Sargsyan during the presidential elections. “We have been always committed to the document signed by us,” said Bostanjyan. However, later in the day, Bostanjyan told us on the phone that he blames the media for marring his words. And the press secretary of the PA Baghdasar Mheryan told us that presently the PA is preparing for the upcoming parliamentary elections and that it’s too soon to speak about the presidential elections, due in a year. To the question as to how he would comment on the statement of Bostanjyan, he said that Gagik Tsarukyan with his statement gave an answer to all the questions months ago. Later the spokesman of Gagik Tsarukyan, Khachik Gevorgyan and NA MP Naira Zohrabyan stated that Bostanjyan was only presenting his personal opinion. “The party standpoint is presented only by the party chairman and Gagik Tsarukyan has numerously spoken about this matter and nothing has been changed since then. As of the presidential elections 2013 then Gagik Tsarukyan has given a clear answer to this matter,” read their statement. Let us remember that when Tsarukyan was asked who he would endorse in the next parliamentary elections the latter said, “We’ll speak about it next time.” Yesterday later in the day, several websites wrote articles titled “explosion in the PA” by meaning Bostanjyan’s statement. Prior to that two more “mines” blew up. The rector of Haybusak institute Anahit Harutyunyan stated that she had entered the PA because she was sure the party would endorse Serzh Sargsyan. Because of almost the same reasons the deputy-chair of Vedi and Ararat chapters of RPA Karen Khachatryan left the party, who was later appointed chief of police of Ararat. There were publications that Bostanjyan was instructed from the President’s office and that he didn’t have the permission to make such statements and thus put the party at stake. Other party members were trying to oppose the statements made from the RPA. Yesterday, however, in regard to Bostanjyan’s statement there were other versions circulating in the media, according to which Tsarukyan yielded to the pressure from the RPA and agreed to endorse the RPA. They were saying that Bostanjyan instead of being a mine might also have taken on the role of disseminating the decisions made in the coalition sessions. The only thing is that the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan doesn’t agree with these results, who according to certain claims, is behind the PA. And Gagik Tsarukyan’s steps are instructed by Kocharyan. The political talks don’t exclude that Tsarukyan is trying to get rid of Kocharyan, otherwise all the Republican levers and administrative resources would be launched against the PA. And it’s no vain that yesterday Bostanjyan made a statement in regard of the former foreign affairs minister Vardan Oskanyan. Let us remember that the latter prior to the coalition meeting had stated that he was discussing his cooperation with the PA. Speaking about possible return of ex-foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan to politics, Bostanjyan member said Oskanyan is a skilled personality, he was in different state, political areas. If Oskanyan wishes to participate in electoral processes it is his decision. Referring to the possible membership of Oskanyan to PAP, Bostanjyan noted that the latter has not decided yet and may enter the RPA. It means that the PA also avoids people, such as Oskanyan, who is one of the loyalists of Kocharyan. So in the political field of Armenia the situation is seemingly shifting, as a result of which there is a great possibility that the authorities will minimize Kocharyan’s influence and participation in the approaching parliamentary elections. Yesterday we tried to receive comments from the RPA too in regard to Bostanjyan’s statement. Can we consider the statement of the MP a result of the agreement made between the RPA and the PA? Has Tsarukyan once again promised to endorse Sargsyan? “Even prior to these statements I knew that the PA doesn’t have any reasons not to endorse the incumbent president. And Bostanjan is not just a random person. If he says so it means it is so. I as the deputy-speaker of parliament and spokesman of the RPA say that the coalition works properly and is united next to the President. It couldn’t be otherwise. As of the possibility of a new declaration or a memorandum at this stage there is nothing like that but I don’t exclude that it may emerge when there is the need,” told us NA deputy-speaker Eduard Sharmazanov. The latter also added, “I don’t think there is any tension between the two parties. This is a normal working process. The closer we get to elections the more intensive the work will get.”