Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan (l.) and Prosperous Armenia Party Leader Gagik Tsarukyan in happier times.
Armenia’s political life has been thrown into a turmoil following President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement on February 12, where he severely criticized the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party and his one-time ally Gagik Tsarukyan.
Following a session of the executive council of Prosperous Armenia on February 13, Gagik Tsarukyan hit back at Serzh Sargsyan, saying that he has accepted the challenge and will go the final mile to ensure he is removed from the presidency.
In his statement, Tsarukyan said that following Sargsyan’s tirade, he met with several politicians, parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties, war veterans, representatives of civil society organizations who came out to support him and to wait for his decision on how to move forward.
He said that the sentiments and words contained in his statement addressed to the people of Armenia and not to the president.
“We all know the person who is responsible for the condition our country and the citizen of Armenia is in,” Tsarukyan said. “All of the steps I have taken in recent years have been directed in such a way as to ensure that solutions are addressed in the political field. I have always announced, that I am not a politician in the classical sense, but when poor governance is being realized which is keeping Armenia back, then all of us are obligated to rise up and all of us within our own ability, must propose solutions. I have seen the way out by ensuring political reforms.”
He went on to say that he entered politics with one objective — to help his country and his people rise above their dire conditions.
Tsarukyan said that he has done everything in his power to unite the main political powers and their leaders. He said that he had laid out one rule for himself – to refrain from insulting anyone and spreading personal attacks. “I want to clearly stress, that my position has not changed after last night. As previously, we will remain faithful to a work ethic that is correct and we will remain solely on a political plane,” he said adding that using vulgar language or being hysterical or emotional behavior is not his style.
Referring directly to Sargsyan’s statement, he said that he did not read a single word about the development and prosperity of the state or any recommendations to resolve the issues facing the populace.
He listed a number of issues about which the president made absolutely no comments in his statement:
- During his tenure as president, Armenia’s economy suffered a dramatic decline, investments sharply fell, and poverty grew. While this was taking place, the businesses of Serzh Sargsyan and his close circle of associates expanded,
- Repressions against businesses became a state policy,
- Because of migration, the country is hemorrhaging people,
- The creation of financial instability,
- Liens have been placed against entire villages, people’s homes and their entire belongings by the banks,
- Tensions have increased along Armenia’s and Karabakh’s borders and news of yet another killed soldier has become a daily occurrence,
- Turkey and Azerbaijan have become so emboldened that they speak to Armenia with contempt,
- The issue of millions of dollars being spent in a casino was raised at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
- Hundreds of millions of dollars have been siphoned from Nairit, the chemical plant, while 1700 employees have been left out in the street.
“This man did not even speak up when Nazarbayev [President of Kazakhstan] degraded and humiliated him,” Tsarukyan said. “He didn’t speak up as to why he didn’t immediately return from Baden Baden during heightened military tensions in August [2014]. He was silent when people went into a panic because of the rapid depreciation of the dram. He didn’t utter a single word as to why he was silent when the residents of Gyumri and the Armenian people were mourning for the horrific murder and were rising up in protest,” continued Tsarukyan.
The leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party responded to those questions that were personally directed at him.
Regarding his dismissal from the country’s National Security Council, Tsarukyan said that in fact, he has not been part of that structure and the only reason he did not remove himself officially was because of his Sargsyan’s personal request that he remain.
Regarding stripping him of his parliamentary mandate, Tsarukyan said that the most important thing for him was the trust of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, which he continues to have, therefore he has the most important mandate.
Tsarukyan said that many will be asking why Sargsyan, who occupies the highest office in the country, would resort to such personal attacks. In his statement, Tsarukyan said that he had received several offers, including even the office of the president following constitutional amendments, but one one condition; “that I agree with the propagation of his regime. In other words, I support his third term and realize his wish to govern for life, via constitutional reforms.” Tsarukyan said that he rejected the offer and it was because of this that Sargsyan resorted to severing his political and personal relationship.
“In fact, that man’s political speech referred personally to me, in other words, his policy is to declare war on me and to remove obstacles to his perpetual rule. That is his policy,” Tsarukyan declared and said, “Moving forward, let me say that I accept his challenge and I am going to win.”
He then went on to address reports of unpaid taxes that Serzh Sargsyan had referred to in his speech the day before. Tsarukyan said that every year of Sargsyan’s tenure as president, tax authorities have audited his and his family’s business interests for months on end. “Unlike him, instead of unverified rumors and unsubstantiated statements, I will present official numbers and will speak openly before everyone about what has taken place.”
Tsarukyan noted that Armenia’s foreign debt has grown by 3 billion dollars. “Where is that money, Mr. Sargsyan? As a result of playing games with the currency, you stole millions of dollars from the people. Where are those funds?” He said that the Armenian people want the answers to these questions and although according to Sargsyan’s “unconfirmed reports” the people know very well where those funds have disappeared to. “Where are the funds that should have been received by pensioners, teachers, doctors, villagers, soldiers, police and security forces, students, lecturers?” Tsarukyan asked and said that the people know where those funds have gone.
“I officially announce that following regime change, two or three people will have to return billions of stolen dollars to the state budget so that we can bring Armenia to her feet, strengthen Karabakh, release our people from interest rates, and secure a dignified life for our children and parents. There is no other solution,” Gagik Tsarukyan noted.
He also made reference to the very personal attacks against him by the Armenian president, saying simply that he would not stoop to his level. “As for the political farce, in fact the Armenian people considers the existence of this regime until this day as a farce. It is the shame of all of us and the time has come to correct these mistakes,” he added.
The next part of Tsarukyan’s statement was about the way forward. He said that following the President’s speech, a situation has been created in the country that begs solutions. “I am convinced that the only solution is total regime change — early presidential elections,” he said. “I know that this has been the main demand of the people and I have tried for a long time to ensure this change without any upheaval. However, the ruling regime has decided to embrace this path. What can I say, the fault lays squarely on them.”
Tsarukyan’s message to the Armenian people was clear: “Prepare for struggle. Three thousand people take to the streets, and they are obligated to amend a law. The whole nation comes out, the regime will change. At this time, I am calling for a pan-national mobilization with one objective in mind – using all legal political methods (round-the-clock demonstrations, rallies, protests, disobedience, etc.) to ensure Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation.”
In closing, Gagik Tsarukyan said, “This regime must be removed immediately, and we must close this miserable and shameful page in our history…I consider that the biggest job in my life right now is to free Armenia from the evils of this regime.”
