‘Ordinary Party Member’ Serzh Sargsyan Might Be Forced to Become Prime Minister

The leader of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), President Serzh Sargsyan is an ordinary party member and has to obey the decisions of the party, Vahram Baghdasaryan, the head of the RPA parliamentary faction, stated today at the National Assembly, trying to justify the possibility of Sargsyan becoming Armenia’s next Prime Minister. Note, the acting head of state has previously stated that he had no intention of becoming a Prime Minister.

“I officially declare that I, Serzh Sargsyan, will never again nominate my candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic of Armenia. I will not seek the post of Prime Minister either, if [Armenia shifts to a parliamentary system of government,” Sargsyan said on April 10, 2014.

According to Baghdasaryan, he takes the President’s any statement seriously, but “we must take into account that we are not always guided by ambitions and desires.”

“The RPA has taken responsibility for the country and the people, and we must find an expedient candidate for this position […] We should never be guided by individual claims and desires. In this case, in addition to being the leader of the RPA, Serzh Sargsyan is also an ordinary party member and must obey the decisions of the political force,” the RPA faction head stated.

The head of the opposition Yelk bloc Nikol Pashinyan asked Baghdasaryan whether the authenticity of Serzh Sargsyan’s statements should from now on be taken with a grain of salt: “Should we always check with him whether he, being an ordinary party member, has agreed a particular statement with the party beforehand?”

“Every politician is free in his statements and opinions, but every decent politician must obey political decisions,” Baghdasaryan charged back.