Armed Tsarukyan does not surprise Vartan Oskanian
Armenia's former foreign minister and member of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) Vartan Oskanian is not surprised that BHK leader Gagik Tsarukyan decided to meet with his electorate armed with a gun. He says there is no need making a big deal out of it.
"Gagik Tsarukyan decided to come to the meeting this way. If you have a right to carry arms, you can exercise that right," said Mr Oskanian.
On April 13, Gagik Tsarukyan traveled to Armavir marz (province) to meet local residents as part of the election campaign. During the meeting, cameras fixed a golden gun in Tsarukyan's belt.
Vartan Oskanian, who is second on the BHK list of election candidates, has seen the footage and is certain that it was a gun and not a phone [as it was presented by BHK members].
Asked whether the BHK leader does not feel safe during his meetings with voters, Mr Oskanian said, "You had better address the question to Gagik Tsarukyan. But I see nothing extraordinary in it."
With regard to Tsarukyan's readiness to give tractors to Armenian marzes, the ex-foreign minister said it should not be viewed as electoral bribe.
"It is spring and peasants started work on farms. Should farmers suffer because of elections?" he said.
Though the tractors have not yet arrived in Armenia, the BHK member says they will be given to residents of ten marzes regardless of the outcome of the May 6 parliamentary elections.
