Coalition memorandum is in effect

Considering that, both the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) rule out the possibility that the president of the country will support Kocharyan

Yesterday former president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan eventually revealed his plans of participating in the upcoming election processes, stating that he didn’t rule out his return to high politics. He said about that during an interview with “Mediamax” yesterday, “I don’t rule out that I will return to high politics. However, not the events taking place in a foreign country, however close and important it is for Armenia, can cause that move, but the following factors:
First, the economic state of the country and the lack of substantial and steady improvement of the people’s well-being and as a result the increase of deadlock sentiments and emigration. Second, if different social layers demand my return to high politics. Third, if I am internally convinced that I can fundamentally improve the situation. If these three factors are present there are different ways of returning to active politics. All other factors add nuances, add political resource, but are not essential factors.”
Yesterday this statement was commented by representatives of both the authority and the opposition. Kocharyan’s statement was perceived both in the political field and among the society as a bad news. Today there are uncertain assumptions, which political forces will support the former president – the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), PAP and Vardan Oskanian’s team, which is not yet politically defined. RPA press secretary Eduard Sharmazanov, thinking that Kocharyan’s desire to return to the active politics is natural, stated at the same time during a conversation with Radio Liberty yesterday, “That must be decided exceptionally by his supporters or his political team. That doesn’t change any plan of RPA. The Republican Party as in the past, the present and the future has its plan, reforms, which it is committed to carry out led by its president Serzh Sargsyan.” He also positively assessed Kocharyan’s observation that as if his return should be connected not to a foreign country, but to Armenian political shifts.
As to the reasons pointed out by Kocharyan, in particular: “existence of deadlock sentiments among the society”, Sharmazanov said that “there is no deadlock situation in our country”, “There are problems in Armenia, but those can be solved to the best advantage by the ruling authority.” RPA press secretary referring to the question whether it is possible that Kocharyan will return through RPA, answered, “RPA have not discussed such issue at the meetings of either its council, or its executive board” and one cannot think that Kocharyan’s return will cause a confrontation between the latter and Serzh Sargsyan.
PAP parliamentary faction member Vardan Bostanjyan observed during a conversation with “Aravot” that Kocharyan had clearly explained in which case and because of what he did not rule out his return to high politics. He also reminded that running for president is regulated by laws and the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. As to the circumstances mentioned by the former president, according to the MP, there was no such situation. “Despite situational problems it is well-known who may run for president of the Republic of Armenia and no one, in particular from the political perspective, can rule out anyone’s running for president”, said Bostanjyan. PAP doesn’t rule out that it may participate in the parliamentary election as a separate political force, but is it possible that if Kocharyan runs for president PAP may support his and not Serzh Sargsyan’s candidacy? Responding to this question, the party representative said, “In any case, there is a memorandum signed by PAP.” Not absolutely ruling out the possibility of correcting the form of PAP participation in the parliamentary election, he said at the same time that those “corrections only refer to the parliamentary election.”