Political analyst: I do not see Hovik Abrahamyan as the key figure (video)
Former Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan’s decision to leave the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) ahead of the April 2 parliamentary elections speaks to an atmosphere of distrust among the pro-government forces. “Interest groups are reshuffling,” says political analyst Levon Shirinyan. He says there is no real opposition in the country; the existing forces are concluding deals with one another over the upcoming elections. We shall see the conservative HHK in the next parliament with its satellites, but somehow cleansed. “The Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) will also take seats in the National Assembly, but it is difficult to believe that [Gagik] Tsarukyan can pass the path of Moses and have no aspirations,” he said. The political analyst thinks that if the BHK is able to maintain its social orientation in a more systematic way, it will be more successful in the race. “The oligarchic pyramid must fissure, and we should help it happen,” Mr Shirinyan stressed. He believes that the Yelk alliance will also be represented in the parliament as an alternative to the old political figures. The political analyst says it will be much more difficult for the alliance formed by former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. “How can they persuade people that they are in the opposition?” Asked whether Hovik Abrahamyan would stay in politics, Mr Shirinyan said, “Of course, he has resources, but I do not think that will stay with the BHK. Anyway, I do not see Hovik Abrahamyan as the key figure. He had a chance to do something as prime minister, but he did not use the opportunity and left." If the Republicans fail to form a majority in the National Assembly, then we shall witness a parliamentary crisis. “The party [HHK] has one option – to get rid of the odious figures and eventually become a real party.” Levon Shirinyan claims that Armenia would benefit if we had a two-party system.
