Th names of the politicians who will take the three top positions of the proportional list of the coalition party “The Rule of Law” in the parliamentary elections in Armenia on May 6th, were reported. First place is taken by the leader of the party, the secretary of the Security Council, Artur Bagdasaryan; second place is taken by the head of the parliamentary fraction of “The Rule of Law,” Eginae Bisharyan; the third position was given to the minister of emergency situations, Armen Yeritsyan. According to officials of the party, it has more than 120 000 members. However, as it is typical for the Armenian political environment, the whole party is consolidated by its leader only – Artur Bagdasaryan.
Rumors say that The Rule of Law was established by the minister of internal affairs and national security of Armenia, the current president of the country, Serge Sargsyan. The party was necessary for being a balance to the Republican Party of Armenia. After Sargsyan came in office and headed Republicans, The Rule of Law became a subdivision of RPA supporting all its initiatives. Along with Sargsyan and foreign forces (France) Bagasaryan was financed by Armenian businessmen.
Some state that the politician is a member of a mason club operating in Armenia. However, Bagdasaryan denied his membership in mason organization even when he was the speaker. He has no extravagant favors to demonstrated luxury and glamour, which are typical of Armenian tycoons. He is driving Hyundai Genesise, living in the center of Yerevan, not in a cottage with huge stone walls, where his colleagues prefer to live.
Nevertheless, Bagdasaryan’s position was formed by providing interests of the business elite, who gain profit from the system of private higher education. He and his followers promoted and developed all documents of legislative and executive power connected with reforms of the education system and licensing of private universities in Armenia. Of course, he got benefits from the lobby. Today Bagdasaryan owns major property and land estate in Yerevan. He is buying assets of recycling and food industry in north regions of the country and in Ararat Valley.
After the scandal, which broke out ahead of the parliamentary elections in 2007, Bagdasaryan had to resign from the position of the parliamentary speaker. The reason for the scandal was an audio record, which fell into hands of the pro-powerful media ahead of the parliamentary elections 2007. The record contains a conversation between Bagdasaryan and the ambassador of the UK. Bagdasaryan proposed the ambassador his services for political support. After it Bagdasaryan was fired and accused of betrayal by President Robert Kocharyan.
However, Bagdasaryan participated in presidential elections 2008 and took third place yielding Serge Sargsyan and Ter-Petrosyan. During that election campaign Bagdasaryan had the radical opposition position. However, later the former speaker supported Serge Sargsyan, and his party entered the coalition with RPA, Prosperous Armenia and Dashnaktsyutun.
Soon a strange event took place: Bagdasaryan was appointed the secretary of the Security Council several months later the scandal with the British ambassador. Thus, the leader of The Rule of Law turned from a spy of foreign special services to the secretary of the Security Council. Recently Bagdasaryan has explained his decisions to join the ruling coalition: “I know what Azerbaijan would do, if riots in Armenia on March 1st, 2008, prolonged. I say it as the secretary of the National Security council.”
Today, when election campaign is spinning up, and some experts believe that The Rule of Law has few chances to enter the parliament, even if it would bribe electorate. Sociologists see the situation in a different way; they admit possibility of entering the parliament by the party. Bagdasaryan is sure that the results of the elections will bring the party greater representation than it has today.
David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to VK
