Pre-election uncertainty and confusion continue: what does Vartan Oskanian negotiate?
In contrast to political logic, just a few days before the elections, the political palette in Armenia has become more confused. Parties and alliance participating in the elections must submit documents to the Central Electoral Commission at the latest on February 10 but until now clarifications are going on inside the parties regarding cordiality of walls, blossoming of rivers and their streams, pollution or drying up and other topics. RPA calls it a self-filtering. As a result, RPA cleaned and self-filtered people appear in Gagik Tsarukian’s entourage and vice versa.
The formation of alliances and movements of parties do not imply any political logic. The sole purpose is the mandate. There are, of course, disoriented. And in addition, it is not yet clear whether April 2, the day of parliamentary elections, will be postponed or not. The president said that he does not mind to change the day, although he does not see any legal problem. He doubted even during the signing of the document but he signed. This so-called homeliness already characterizes all allegations and assurances to hold free, fair and transparent elections. In general, one gets the impression that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be Armenia’s most disgraceful and the “most money abundance” elections. Everybody will go against everybody: the party members sharing a piece of bread together will not only fight against each other for the rating but also against other parties and alliances, again sharing a piece of bread with each other.
No one cares how the voter will be oriented in this confusion. The voters will ensure the so-called panoramic section of these elections. The numbers were and are written in a completely different place and other conditions. And to reserve the number of the own mandate, they not only stand in a queue in the ruling party but also the opposition too. In this sense, perhaps, people who are trying to reserve the mandate thru the ruling party and do not paly opposition are fairer. Quite remarkable developments are taking place in the main forming poles, particularly opposition considered. According to the information of “Aravot”, the former “enthusiasm” no longer exists in the alliance formed around former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.
Despite the statements in the public, the leaders of these alliances and their supporters begin to understand that they have few chances to register the desired victory. There are even rumors that, for example, the leader of “Unity” party, Vartan Oskanian, is doing everything to meet with Gagik Tsarukyan and to agree not about the cooperation with the alliance formed around Seyran Ohanyan but about the cooperation of “Tsarukyan” alliance and “Unity” party. The rumors that the government will sponsor ANC in these elections persistently exist and do not and do not slow down. Earlier, NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov refuted that the governors were instructed to support the reopening of ANC offices in the regions and control the process financially and personally.
But when the ANC and Gagik Tsarukyan negotiations ended with nothing, a decision was made that the famous businessman Saribek Sukiasyan will be on the ANC list, the son of Khachatur Sukiasyan’s brother, the owner of the SIL company. This will solve also the ANC’s financial problems. Khachatur Sukiasyan probably will go to the parliament with “Tsarukyan” alliance. Already in the weekend, on Thursday or Friday, it is expected that “Tsarukyan” alliance forces will sign an agreement. The alliance at present includes PAP, “Unity” movement, SDHP, Democratic Liberal Party and PANM membership. Another Hunchak structure – RSDHP – is still in negotiations. The negotiations between Stepan Demirchyan (leader of People’s Party of Armenia) and Gagik Tsarukyan ended with nothing. PPA Vice-President Grigor Harutyunyan has already announced about his going to the elections in the alliance with ANC.
In an interview with us, Grigor Harutyunyan denied the information that the negotiations with “Tsarukyan” alliance failed because of Stepan Demirchyan ambitions. They say that he wanted two places in the top five. In addition, Stepan Demirchyan did not also like the name of the alliance. “Different things are written and said, absolutely is not relevant to the reality. It’s true, a few meetings were held, general discussions but nothing specific about the places and so on. Earlier, we have constantly said that our main ally was ANC. At the time when there was a meeting with Tsarukyan, there were discussions with ANC too.”
As to why ANC-Gagik Tsarukyan talks failed, ANC ally APP Vice-President does not know. He is even surprised, “Were negotiations held? According to my information, not. Maybe it was a mediated meeting but not with the first figures, as far as I know.” We could not speak with ANC members as they do not answer the phone calls. ANC and PPA will also participate in the elections with an alliance but there is no clarity about the list. Grigor Harutyunyan does not know whether other forces or individuals will join. They are generally in favor of a broader consolidation, “No list issue is discussed. I think it is secondary. But this was the right thing. We cannot do anything else. At least, there is a political figure.”
Our interlocutor refrains from predicting the possibilities and potential of this alliance. He evaded the observation that the huge political potential gain since 2008 was pocketed. Their ability is conditioned by a number of factors, particularly by the Electoral Code. “This Electoral Code causes many serious problems. The entire political field is dependent from a rabble. Political parties must enter into a fight with the neighborhood rabble. This lies in the basis, and it is clear that neither we nor the ANC will never go by this way,” said Grigor Harutyunyan. To the question of whether we have the recourses to win the neighborhood rabble, Grigor Harutyunyan said, “It is hard, but we must try.” As to why no broad consolidation is formed around Levon Ter-Petrosyan now, our interlocutor does not know. He says that perhaps the reason is this Electoral Code because Levon Ter-Petrosyan will never accept the option of going ahead by money and neighborhood rabble. Recall that the agreement obtained around this Electoral Code was qualified by ANC faction leader Levon Zurabyan a historical.
