Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian on Wednesday defended the Armenian government’s track record and dismissed opposition claims about a political crisis necessitating “regime change” in the country.
“Do you see any issue with which we cannot deal?” Abrahamian told reporters in the parliament. “We are governing very well and even trying to utilize our potential by 100 percent, and we are going to govern even better and more effectively soon.”
“I see no grounds for regime change,” he said. “You can’t just call [for regime change,] there have to be grounds for that. I see no, as you put it, government crisis. What I see is that the government is on the contrary actively working.” The government’s chief priority is to improve the socioeconomic situation in Armenia, he added.
Abrahamian spoke as the country’s three leading parties prepared to hold another rally in Yerevan as part of their campaign of street protests supposedly aimed at ending President Serzh Sarkisian’s rule. The largest of those parties, Prosperous Armenia (BHK), is led by Gagik Tsarukian, a wealthy businessman who has until now had a close personal rapport with Abrahamian. The latter’s younger son is married to one of Tsarukian’s daughters.
The BHK leader signaled his desire to become Armenia’s next president at a news conference earlier this month. Abrahamian seemed to disapprove of that statement.
“It is inappropriate for any politician to speak about the [next] president now,” the premier said. “I would advise you not to talk about that because the [current] president has four more years of work [remaining until the end of his second term.]”