Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) reiterated on Monday that it will not take up any ministerial posts in the new Armenian government to be formed by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian.
President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) continued to hold out hope for a power-sharing deal with the BHK after Abrahamian was named to replace Tigran Sarkisian as prime minister on Sunday. The new premier is known to have a warm rapport with Tsarukian.
“I am surprised that even after BHK representatives’ clear comments to the effect that the BHK will not be represented in the government in any way or format this issue remains on the agenda of our distinguished journalists. I exclude the BHK’s involvement in this government in any way,” Naira Zohrabian, a senior Tsarukian aide and BHK lawmaker, told journalists.
Asked to clarify her party’s attitude to President Sarkisian’s pick for the new prime minister, Zohrabian said, “The BHK has never personalized and will not personalize any issue. After we see how the newly appointed prime minister and cabinet work the BHK will make an evaluation. We won’t make any evaluation at this point.”
It is thus not clear whether Tsarukian’s party will back Abrahamian when he seeks a parliamentary vote of confidence in his cabinet later this month. The BHK and the three opposition parties represented in the National Assembly planned to put forward a motion of censure against the government before Tigran Sarkisian’s unexpected resignation on April 3.
Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian, who leads the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK), said last Wednesday that the four minority parties should jointly rally supporters during upcoming parliamentary debates on the vote of confidence in the new government. He argued that the parliament’s failure to install the cabinet would force President Sarkisian to hold fresh elections.
Ter-Petrosian, Tsarukian and Raffi Hovannisian, the leader of the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party, met on Thursday to discuss their further actions. They announced no concrete agreements after the talks.
President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) continued to hold out hope for a power-sharing deal with the BHK after Abrahamian was named to replace Tigran Sarkisian as prime minister on Sunday. The new premier is known to have a warm rapport with Tsarukian.
“I am surprised that even after BHK representatives’ clear comments to the effect that the BHK will not be represented in the government in any way or format this issue remains on the agenda of our distinguished journalists. I exclude the BHK’s involvement in this government in any way,” Naira Zohrabian, a senior Tsarukian aide and BHK lawmaker, told journalists.
Asked to clarify her party’s attitude to President Sarkisian’s pick for the new prime minister, Zohrabian said, “The BHK has never personalized and will not personalize any issue. After we see how the newly appointed prime minister and cabinet work the BHK will make an evaluation. We won’t make any evaluation at this point.”
It is thus not clear whether Tsarukian’s party will back Abrahamian when he seeks a parliamentary vote of confidence in his cabinet later this month. The BHK and the three opposition parties represented in the National Assembly planned to put forward a motion of censure against the government before Tigran Sarkisian’s unexpected resignation on April 3.
Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian, who leads the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK), said last Wednesday that the four minority parties should jointly rally supporters during upcoming parliamentary debates on the vote of confidence in the new government. He argued that the parliament’s failure to install the cabinet would force President Sarkisian to hold fresh elections.
Ter-Petrosian, Tsarukian and Raffi Hovannisian, the leader of the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party, met on Thursday to discuss their further actions. They announced no concrete agreements after the talks.