Ter-Petrosyan is coming to power - Kocharyan's release complicated - COMMENT

Baku. 21 February. REPORT.AZ/ The Armenian government has only been able to adopt the five-year program of work in the field of economics in parliament. However, the government's foreign policy, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict program has not been announced yet. Either there is no such program, or it is too complicated. That's why Pashinyan’s government is afraid of announcing it. Because the government still has the legacy or the symbols of Serzh Sargsyan’s regime. Either Pashinyan cannot escape them, or this issue will remain in the future as a tool for political bargaining. At the same time these people may also be needed to reduce the external pressure on Armenia. However, sooner or later these officials will be dismissed.

Of course, one of them is the current president of Armenia Armen Sarkissian. Various opinions about him are voiced for about a year. He, in local cases, is loyal to Serzh Sargsyan. Because Serzh Sargsyan has appointed him as the ambassador. Armenian Sarkissian also became a wealthy socio-political, state figure during Serzh Sargsyan’s presidency. He officially sworn in on April 9, 2018.

The swearing-in ceremony was held amid protests in the country. In such a complicated situation, by appointing Armen Sarkissian as President Serzh Sargsyan intended to implement a longer-term plan. Perhaps, after the end of the Prime Minister’s term, Serzh Sargsyan planned to become a president again. Armen Sarkissian could then become a prime minister. In all cases, the change of power did not allow this possibility to happen. Serzh Sargsyan intended to use the current president to protect himself in the West. His links allowed him to do so. Notably, the new president is elected for a seven-year term in parliament. A person cannot be elected a president twice in a row. Armen Sarkissian was a presidential candidate of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. He was born in 1953 in Yerevan. He graduated from Yerevan State University, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. From December 1996 to February 1997 he served as the Prime Minister of Armenia. He worked as Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Vatican, and in 1995-1996 he served as Permanent Representative of Armenia to the European Union. He owns Knightsbridge Group of 15 companies operating in Europe, Russia, China, Mongolia, India and Kazakhstan. The 65-year-old Armen Sarkissian has businesses in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It is reported that he has a good circle in the Middle East and Britain. These relations are now important for Armen Sarkissian.

In fact, the political forces represented by Nikol Pashinyan have gone through a number of stages. Parliamentary elections were held, the government adopted at least a partial program and preliminary investigation on some Russian-led forces, headed by ex-President Robert Kocharyan, ended. True, many problems have not been resolved yet. The official Yerevan set a target to cleanse the government and the political elite of the country from pro-Russian and Sargsyan-oriented people. Under such circumstances, Armen Sarkissian's situation is not good. His trips to European countries and US are also the result of this discomfort. He has been in the United States twice, and seven times in Russia during the past ten months after being elected a president. By the way, his question to the former US Vice President Joe Biden made a headline in US newspapers. At the Munich Security Conference, he asked former Vice President whether he would run for the presidency in 2020: “Are you going to nominate your candidacy?". Joe Biden replied with a whisper and his answer was not heard. However, later he gave his business card to Armen Sarkissian.

By giving a business card to Armen Sargsyan as if Joe Biden meant: “You need this card. Other issues do not concern you.” Although Armen Sarkissian is on European, US, and Russian roads, according to Armenian media, Nikol Pashinyan is consulting with ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan almost every day. Incidentally, the appointment of the former president’s people, Tigran Akopyan and Vladimir Karapetyan, also confirmed their frequent communication. Notably, Tigran Akopyan has been appointed the chairman of the Armenian Television and Radio Commission and Vladimir Karapetyan is the spokesman for Nikol Pashinyan. Circles close to the government say that Ter-Petrosyan is the key adviser to Armenia's foreign policy chief:

“As we know, during the day, Nikol Pashinyan consults with Ter-Petrosyan by phone. Ter-Petrosyan gave him the idea to drag Robert Kocharyan out of the game quickly.” The first president of Armenia has recently intensified his meetings with foreign ambassadors in Yerevan. He even met with the Italian Ambassador at the latter’s initiative. Such meetings show that the ex-president still has his say, and he acts as if he is Pashinyan’s “grandfather”. It is no secret that the main staff of Nikol Pashinyan is composed of Levonists. The Prime Minister also announced that the constitution would be reformed. This issue has recently been sounded by the chairman of the "Bright Armenia" party, MP Edmon Marukyan, who is acting in opposition to the Armenian parliament. He said that there would be draft amendments to the Basic Law.

He said that a draft amendment to the Basic Law was being prepared. The opposition leader said the prime minister was not a "superman". Edmon Marukyan supported the reduction of the prime minister's powers. The Armenian National Congress (ANC) has proposed a constitutional referendum on return to the semi-presidential administration system this year.

Finally, on March 1, Nikol Pashinyan plans to hold a rally on the events of 2008. He will make a special appeal. Nikol Pashinyan said: "This march will be against violence, election fraud, corruption and lawlessness." This can also be regarded as a victory of Ter-Petrosyan over Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. But the victory is not yet complete. It can happen when Ter-Petrosyan comes out behind the scenes and starts to play his role in the political scene. Thus, the echo of Ter-Petrosian's step begins to be heard near the government. Nikol Pashinyan is so far busy with giving positions to Levonists in the government.