Hmayak Hovhannisyan – Armenia’s Republican Party is Looking More Like
the Communist Party of Old

[ 2009/11/18 | 15:39 ]

In today’s press conference, Hmayak Hovhannisyan, President of the
Union of Political Analysts, also referred to RoA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan’s recent entry into the ranks of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia, stating that the move shouldn’t come as a surprise.

`It was to be expected, give that the Republicans are the ruling party
both in Armenia and Russia. The two are essentially one party that
more and more resembles the Communist Party in that the ruling
apparatus is growing by leaps and bounds,’ Mr. Hovhannisyan argued.

`Just as in the past, when one couldn’t get a top position without
membership in the Communist Party, we are getting to the point in
Armenia when either a top official must feel vulnerable or else become
a member in the Republican Party to defend that position,’ he went on
to say.

Mr. Hovhannisyan also argued that PM Sargyan’s move was also designed
to thwart the pans of some former individuals to re-enter active
politics. `I am referring to the Kocharyan cadres and the people
around the former president who are attempting to weaken the position
of the current prime minister and take over the post.’

He added however that such a move would not solidify the position of
PM Sargsyan and offered the example of former National Assembly
president Tigran Torosyan, who was summarily sacked from the job, even
though he was a longstanding member of the Republican Party.