Kocharyan vs Sargsyan: undeclared war between Armenian officials

I am sure that ordinary citizens of Armenia had no idea that there are so many people in their parliament and government who like to slap face of their colleagues, roughly speaking, simple brawlers.

We recently spoke about how MP Ruben Hayrapetyan, a businessman and head of the Armenian Football Federation clashed with Gagik Tsarukyan, head of the Armenia National Olympic Committee, MP, businessman and leader of the pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party. Their scuffle involving security guards and nearby people evolved to a real street fight.

During Armenian parliament’s recent special meeting, which finally debated and adopted the state budget 2010, Speaker Ovik Abramyan and vice Speaker Samvel Nikoyan on one side and Health Minister Haroutyun Kushkyan on the other first quarreled and then began fighting

They quarreled right in the conference hall, but fought in a special room (presumably for a fight) for government members.

Of course, government members often fight in parliaments in many countries worldwide, but I am sure not so frequently as in Armenia.

As interesting it may sound, fighting that took place in Armenia in recent years invariably occured between a priori friendly parties – ruling Republican Party and pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party. The first is led by  President Serzh Sargsyan and the second by  Gagik Tsarukyan, a person close to former President Robert Kocharyan. By the way, Prosperous Armenia Party is officially known as Kocharyan’s personal project.

For example, Ruben Hayrapetyan, who seriously quarreled with head of Prosperous Armenia Gagik Tsarukyan, is a republican just like Hovik Abrahamian and Samvel Nikoyan while Haroutyun Kushkyan is a member of Prosperous Armenia.                                                          

This can not be simple coincidence. Even  afore-said representatives of the fraternal parties have a personal dislike. Such an attitude is not usually displayed in public because of the proximity of the two organizations. Especially, when it is dealt with high-ranking officials.

This is not just conflict between representatives of two parties, but conflict of leaders, in other words, between Gagik Tsarukyan’s boss Robert Kocharyan and incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan.  

It is worth to remember the articles periodically published in the press that were telling about Kocharyan’s discontent with Serzh Sargsyan’s actions in terms of foreign policy, in particular, relations with Turkey and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Kocharian is not enthusiastic about possible establishment of diplomatic relations with Turkey and resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Persons close to the former and incumbent presidents are aware of recent open conflicts between them.

In such cases, bosses usually allow their subordinates to curse up hill and down dale their partners. This is exactly what happened in recent times.

The bosses may find a common language in the near future putting an end to contradiction. But extreme option is not excluded either when the confrontation may deepen. We know how dissenters are treated in the neighboring country ...

Sargsyan’s all predecessors in the office of the Republican Party had either been killed or died under mysterious circumstances. Their death still raises many questions. This happened to the founder of the party Ashot Navasardyan who died at age 47, former Defense Minister and Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, who died at age 40 after a terrorist act in Armenian parliament in 1999 and finally former Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan who died at age 56.

Hamid Hamidov
Day.Az