Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, the leader of The Rule of Law Party (RLP), Artur Bagdasaryan, announced his decision to leave the position of the SC secretary. He stated that he made the step because the political council of the RLP decided to leave the ruling coalition. At the moment it is unclear what the force is going to do. “The RLP hasn’t defined its goals – whether it will become the opposition or rely on the authorities and use certain resources,” Saro Saroyan, an analyst, thinks.
Bagdasaryan himself is dissatisfied that during the six years of the RLP’s presence in the ruling coalition, it couldn’t gain power to influence made decisions: “Several projects which we suggested were rejected. The RLP leaves the coalition, considering the internal political situation and in favor of the society.” It is interesting that it’s not the first time that Bagdasaryan has abandoned the power in favor of the society.
Did the RLP need six years to realize that it plays secondary roles in political processes? Bagdasaryan has already stated that he intends to demand the dismissal of Serge Sargsyan: “We have been friends with President for six years and we are still friends.” The ruling Republican Party reacted calmly at the RLP’s decision to leave the coalition.
The four opposition parties have not commented on the RLP’s steps. It seems the opposition doesn’t care about words said by the RLP’s leaders. They are interested in their votes in the parliament on the issue on a vote of confidence to the government. Leaving the coalition, the RLP made the RPA’s position more difficult. The parliamentary majority reduced from 75 to 69 MPs; it is almost equal to the crucial number of 66 which is necessary for making a decision.
Small and powerless RLP appeared to be on focus in 2008, when its leader presented himself as a presidential candidate. His election campaign was radically oppositional. According to official information, Bagdasaryan got 16% of votes. But his further steps (his appointment to the position of the SC secretary) shocked his supporters who thought that Bagdasaryan was a real opposition activist.
The answer to the question on the RLP’s decision to leave the coalition lies in the sphere of the party’s philosophy, which has never been independent and has always been influenced by foreign players, primarily the West.
However, Bagdasaryan has good relations with his Russian colleague Patrushev. In this context, his possible appointment to the position of head of the CSTO in Yerevan should be considered. They say Bagdasaryan could move to Russia.
