THE POST OF PRIME MINISTER IS THE WORST OPTION FOR THE PRESIDENT
James Hakobyan
Lragir, Armenia
Dec 12 2007
The recent developments in Russia make think what the Armenian
president Robert Kocharyan is going to do after leaving the post of
president. Mainly two options are put forward. Either Robert Kocharyan
becomes prime minister or the head of some Russian-Armenian holding
which will include all the strategic companies which have been handed
over to Russia. These companies are so many and so strategic that
ostensibly this position will be more important than the post of the
prime minister. Armenia has given Russia so much that it is not clear
what is more, the given or not given, in other words, will Robert
Kocharyan control more if the holding is set up and he becomes its
president or Serge Sargsyan if he becomes president of Armenia.
But perhaps it would be dishonest to leave only two post-presidential
options for the president who has done so much for Armenia.
Consequently, every member of the society should share responsibility
for offering any post-presidential office to Serge Sargsyan which will
not prevent Serge Sargsyan from presidency, and on the other hand,
will not let Robert Kocharyan leave. The potential of the Armenian
people, let alone the Diaspora, is enough to offer at least 3 million
options of how Robert Kocharyan can remain. Recently Serge Sargsyan
has stated in a news conference with foreign media Armenia is likely
to set up a ministry of relations with the Diaspora. This agency will
be as important for Armenia as Russia. The point is that currently
the Diaspora sustains almost half of the economic growth of Armenia:
investments, charity, tourism. To say nothing about remittances to
their relatives and friends.
We may imagine what an important structure this agency may be,
especially if it were independent from the executive. It is even
possible to dissolve Armenia Foundation and make it part of the new
agency both to prevent competition and to strengthen the agency.
Robert Kocharyan could be head of this organization, who has quite
good relations with the Diasporan benefactors. So good that these
anonymous benefactors give a car worth hundreds of thousands of drams
to the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, give the president
of Armenia 15 million dollars to buy a new plane.
It is even better than the post of president of the Russian-Armenian
holding because the agency on relations with the Diaspora is much
more pan-Armenian work than a Russian-Armenian company. Meanwhile,
the post of prime minister is the worst option for Robert Kocharyan.
First, if this post were a good thing, Serge Sargsyan would remain
prime minister and would not wish to be president. Besides, the
prime minister has to go to the parliament every Wednesday and answer
the questions of reporters and members of parliament, especially the
opposition members of parliament. Meanwhile, Robert Kocharyan, judging
by his ten years of presidency, likes to answer the questions of three
TV companies only, and he would hardly wish to answer the questions of
the members of parliament and about twenty media once in three weeks.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
