NOTHING CLOSES ACCIDENTALLY AND THE REPUBLICAN DOES NOT SPLIT ACCIDENTALLY
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir.am
24 May 06

There are two candidates in this photo. One is former, the other
is second. Hrant Khachatryan (on the left) is former candidate of
ombudsman, Tigran Torosyan (on the right) is a new candidate of speaker
of the National Assembly. The reporter of Lragir.am photographed
this pair of oppositionist and pro-governmental figures on their
agreement. We think nothing happens in politics accidentally. Although
Tigran Torosyan is considered a candidate of speaker, he has not
been nominated officially, and his political party has not announced
officially about the nomination of Tigran Torosyan. In fact, Tigran
Torosyan is a future candidate, and one can imagine the future with
one’s eyes closed, when the existing circumstances do not distract. In
fact, there is a circumstance that requires greater attention from
Tigran Torosyan. Member of Parliament Hakob Hakobyan, a member of
the People’s Deputy Group elected from Echmiadzin, is consistently
attempting at nominating another Republican, the leader of the
Republican faction Galust Sahakyan.

Even after Galust Sahakyan’s statement that in case of his nomination
he would withdraw his candidacy Hakob Hakobyan pursues the line of
nominating Sahakyan. It is difficult to explain Hakobyan’s persistence
in any way. He mentions that Galust Sahakyan is stronger and can get
a hold on the parliament before the upcoming election. This strong
candidate, however, openly announces that he does not want to be
speaker of parliament. Hence, Hakob Hakobyan and some other members of
parliament are trying to nominate Galust Sahakyan as speaker against
his will. If it is so, where is the strength of Galust Sahakyan if
he cannot even stop the members of parliament who are pushing his
nomination? Consequently, either Galust Sahakyan is not strong, and
Hakob Hakobyan has other intentions to nominate him, or he is strong
but he is not likely to prevent his nomination. In both cases it is
possible that the Republican faction is on the verge of split. It is
initiated by some force from inside the political party or maybe even
an outside force, strong enough to divide the Republican Party. It
is also possible that Hakob Hakobyan is backed by the Republican
or at least the part of the Republican Party which supports Galust
Sahakyan. This part did not dare to oppose to the prime minister
openly, however, Galust Sahakyan attempts at increasing his importance
in the party. Maybe he is not likely to become a speaker at all, but
he is also reluctant to refuse to become a speaker just for nothing. In
other words, Galust Sahakyan is doing political trade with his party.

Hence, Tigran Torosyan’s wish to have a photograph with Hrant
Khachatryan, which could have been born from the sense of alienation
from his fellows or simply for an exchange of experience, is not
accidental. After all, the story of nomination of Hrant Khachatryan as
ombudsman and the story of nomination of Tigran Torosyan as speaker
are very much alike. And although one of them was nominated, knowing
that he would not be elected, and the other will probably be nominated
with the belief that he will be elected, both believe, nevertheless,
that this will be the last nominations in their political career. Hrant
Khachatryan may give useful advice to Tigran Torosyan not to go in
for the last nomination, and postpone it as long as possible.