Prosperous Armenia in the harbor of the opposition

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

The VII Congress of one of the leading political forces, the "Prosperous Armenia" Party (PAP), was held behind closed doors. Over the past two years the PAP has undergone significant changes, transforming from a junior partner of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) into an independent political force.

Despite some caution of the PAP functionaries, who call the party the alternative to the government, in fact, the position of the PAP MPs shows that the party is moving towards real opposition. It was confirmed by active involvement of the PAP in the fight against Funded Pension and gas agreements, as well as initiating, together with three other extra-coalition parliamentary forces, a draft decision on a vote of non-confidence to the government.

 PAP secretary Naira Zohrabyan's words at the congress that there is no taboo on demand the government's resignation sounded impressive.However, the central speech at the congress was that of the PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, who said that the PAP should become "the mouthpiece of the people" against any government program not accepted by the public, and to provide alternative projects.According to Mr Tsarukyan the only way to solve the country's problems is a full-scale consolidation of the society.Along with a number of important socio-economic problems, he also mentioned the pension reform: "I couldn't imagine a more inhuman and counterproductive step in a country where one in three people officially is poor."

 The PAP leader was not calling for revolution and shift of power, but he criticized the financial and socio-economic policies of the government. Summing up all the last steps of the PAP deputies and Mr Tsarukyan's speech, one can say that the Party occupied the politicl niche of moderate opposition, in contrast to the much more radical party "Armenian National Congress' (ANC), which constantly demands the resignation of the president.

 The experts and media controlled by the authorities argue that the oligarch Tsarukyan can't represent the opposition.We should remember that after the parliamentary elections in May 2012, PAP members left their official posts during 2012-2013. Today, they account for only some of the posts, such as mayors of Gyumriand Idjevan.And the reason for the representative of the big bourgeoisie Tsarukyan and the PAP led by him to play in the opposition field, is the government policy that affects even the interests of the big bourgeoisie.

 The authorities' response to the Congress of the PAP was very nervous. President Serge Sargsyan said that four non-coalition parliamentary factions and some non-parliamentary forces are busy blackening the authorities.Other officials said that nothing new and concrete was said at the Congress. However, among the numerous negative evaluations there were no answers to two questions. How could such a solid segment as the PAP split from the government? How did the former coalition party ended up in the opposition camp, next to the ANC? Perhaps the ruling Republican Party should ponder about the mistakes and unresolved conflicts that led the ship of the PAP into the harbor of the ANC.