Aram Z. Sargsyan, the leader of the Republic Party, revealed the lie in the latest “fairy tale” told by second President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharyan during a conversation with www.aravot.am today. It is about his statement. He recalled historic episodes how Kocharyan had really treated him, the Prime Minister, and how he had governed. “Robert Kocharyan talked about checks and balances immediately after the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP). Let me say first that Robert Kocharyan is not that honest, to say the least. When he says that he changed the Constitution, in order to increase the influence of the Prime Minister, it is not so. Let me talk about year 1999. The most serious conflict between Robert Kocharyan and me at the time arose with regard to appointing the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of National Security. I would say that the Constitution said that the Prime Minister proposed and the President appointed. I should propose and you appoint, even if I propose 100 candidates, you should choose one of those. Robert Kocharyan would say that no, those officials had been appointed by the President alone since Levon Ter-Petrossian’s presidency, it had been the case also when my brother was in power. Vazgen had been entrusted with the interior and the rest should be done by the president alone, because it was his field. It resulted in a situation, when first Constitutional Court Chairman Gagik Harutyunyan interfered in the process, then Catholicos Garegin II and then it reached my dear master Hrant Matevosyan, after which I agreed to solve that problem in the following manner – Robert Kocharyan would propose 3 candidates for each office and I would choose one of those 3. Thus Hayk Harutyunyan and Carlos Petrosyan became ministers. Immediately after that, Robert Kocharyan eliminated those ministries as such, turning them into departments and taking them out of the Cabinet, in order that the President appointed and dismissed those people without taking into account the Prime Minister’s opinion. Now, imagine a Prime Minister who doesn’t have law-enforcement leverage. Robert Kocharyan nullified the factor of the Prime Minister. The rest are legends, fairy tales for those who read political books and are considered political analysts. This is a lie that is presented as the truth.”
Aram Sargsyan also said that he couldn’t remember any case when Robert Kocharyan had been against majoritarian representation, “When the PAP or Kocharyan talk about feudal lords, let them see a beam in their eye. When it is stated in Gyumri that not having 100 dollars, people engaged in politics, I immediately remember Robert Kocharyan. And if Gagik Tsarukyan meant him, I will say give me give when I see him, because that man was the poorest presidential candidate according to his income statement in the 2003 presidential election and now he is the richest man in Armenia – he is the owner of the whole information field, mining industry etc., which can develop or yield material benefits in this country. And such people allow themselves to give advice. Generally, parties that bought votes with money, appraised the voting right of the Armenian with money spat on that man’s spirit and conscience. Those people have no right to talk on behalf of the people and boast in front of the people.”
Robert Kocharyan’s latest speech aimed at denying the connection between the PAP and himself. According to Aram Sargsyan, “I have heard other speeches of Robert Kocharyan, in which he expressed regret. For example, he was sorry that Silva Kaputikyan was a woman, or
else he would have said…. Or he would tell Poghos Poghosyan, “If he had been an animal, I would have said.” This regret of his is a different type of regret. This was a regret of a person who misses an office. It was obvious and for the first time in my life, I felt sorry for that person that he loved an office so much. He had a task here. Probably, he had seen what was going on in the geopolitical centers that he liked, he realized that he didn’t stand a chance and now he offers Serzh Sargsyan, saying: ‘Why do you negotiate with Gagik Tsarukyan, negotiate with me, I support this with regard to majoritarian representation, but look, in terms of the system of government, I wasn’t a supporter of the parliamentarian one and I can help you with that issue.’ So that man tries to find his niche in the PAP, next to Serzh Sargsyan, anywhere he is listened to. My impression wasn’t the impression of the former macho Robert Kocharyan. It was rather an impression of a person who is frightened and looks for his niche. However, I have talked about the connection between him and the PAP many times. I have never undertaken a task to prove to the society that there is no connection. I don’t understand why they try to convince the society that this connection doesn’t exist. It is the problem of Robert Kocharyan and the PAP, but when a third party does that, I don’t understand it.”
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Hripsime JEBEJYAN
