Premier Sarkisyan to be replaced by namesake

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The ruling Armenian elite has begun their preparations for the presidential elections in 2018. This is confirmed by the process on constitutional changes, which will take several months. Representatives of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) don’t exclude the possibility of a shift from a presidential to a parliamentary form of governance. Thus, President Serge Sargsyan has a chance to continue his political career in the post of prime minister.

Article 50 of the Constitution requires that any person can be elected president of the republic who has the right to vote, has been a citizen of Armenia for at least 10 years and constantly lives in the country. However, the Venice Commission of the OSCE/ODIHR recommends Yerevan take down the barriers.

Even though representatives of the ruling party reject a possible connection between the reduction of local residence requirements and a certain person, there are events which give rise to interesting considerations. The recent re-appointment of the former prime minister, Armen Sarkisyan, to the position of the Armenian ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland is notable.

Academic Sarkisyan was appointed Armenian ambassador to London in 1992, and in November 1996 he headed the government of Armenia. He worked for several months as the premier and came back to London as the ambassador, where he had been working until 2000. Later, the former prime minister became a businessman, as during his work in London he gained many important contacts in the UK elite. He had good relations with the royal family, and the Russian and Kazakh elites, according to some information.

The reappearance of the almost-forgotten activist, who has a fairly positive image in Armenian society, rings a bell – why is there the need to re-appoint such a wealthy person, who constantly lives in London, to the ambassador’s position 13 years later?

Observers don’t exclude the possibility that the re-appointment of Armen Sarkisyan requires a certain combination for his re-appointment to the premier’s position. According to the mass media, Sarkisyan’s appointment to the ambassador’s position in London caused serious concern in internal political groups. Otherwise, why did pro-governmental mass media publish damaging information about him?

For instance, 1in.am reported that when Sarkisyan was the ambassador he used personal contacts for his own programs and business. He actively used resources and contacts of a wealthy Armenian from London, Vache Manukyan. In Armenia he owns enormous amounts of property which have been purchased by illegal methods. According to the portal, the academic and diplomat doesn’t differ from other representatives of the oligarchic and criminal system and monopolists of Armenia.

Of course, Armen Sarkisyan is not the only possible candidate for the president’s position, especially considering the enthusiasm of the parliamentary speaker, Ovik Abramyan, who undertakes a lot of visits to the regions and foreign countries, as well as Premier Tigran Sarkisyan, who tries to consolidate powerful businessmen over him to improve his power positions.

However, Armen Sarkisyan is thought to be one of the most promising figures, who can be supported by the West. He has allies in Armenia – a part of RPA’s members, the pro-Western party “Orinatc Erkir” and Dashnaktsutyun, he has relatively good ties with representatives of the foreign elite. Armen Sarkisyan has relatively good ties with the elite of the other powerful Armenian traditional party “Ramkavar Azataakan.” Some forces in Yerevan think that Russian oligarchs who are close to the UK financial centers can become Sarkisyan’s allies.