After today’s press conference, Aram Manukyan, the leader of the Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM), agreed to answer questions of a few mass media, in particular about Vartan Oskanian’s membership to the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP). Aram Manukyan observed, “It is surprising for me, when a 60-year-old man has just matured and decided part of which political force he is. The Prime Minister was like that, Serzh Sargsyan too. For me, the late maturity of a man is a negative thing. After being in politics for 20-25 years, a man, let’s say, Tigran Sargsyan suddenly decides at the age of 48 that the best party is the Republican, let alone Vanush Khanamiryan and all the others who were forced to realize at the age of 80 that they were born members of the Prosperous Armenia or the Rule of Law. It is a disgrace, I am serious. It is the behavior of a carefree person. That person is 60 years old, being in politics for 20 years, he matures and realizes that he is a liberal or a socialist. Is it not clear that it is not maturity, he was told to do that, i.e. it is not that he was late to mature, but either he was late to mature or he agreed to be a toy.”
In response to a question of Aravot.am whether Robert Kocharian was the one who had told him to do that, he said, “The master is not important, it is sad for me that a man seeks for a master and acts at his behest. There is a good proverb – what can the master do, if the slave wants to be a slave. The status of a slave, not of a master, makes me sad.” In response to our other attempts to clarify whether he also thought that Oskanian’s move had marked Kocharian’s return, Mr. Manukyan said, “Don’t mention that name! I don’t want to hear that name.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
Read also
