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No Common Agenda?: Political 'Troika' Preparing For Joint Rally Unde

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  • No Common Agenda?: Political 'Troika' Preparing For Joint Rally Unde

    NO COMMON AGENDA?: POLITICAL 'TROIKA' PREPARING FOR JOINT RALLY UNDER DIFFERENT SLOGANS

    ANALYSIS | 01.10.14 | 10:33
    http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/57252/armenia_political_troika_rallies_provinces

    By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
    ArmeniaNow correspondent

    The troika of parliamentary minority parties is holding gatherings in
    Armenia's regions ahead of the big joint rally planned to be held in
    capital Yerevan on October 10. The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP),
    Heritage and the Armenian National Congress (ANC) have effectively
    failed to form a common agenda, and each of them at the rallies is
    making its own calls.

    The press loyal to the troika publishes appeals to prepare for a
    revolution. Such media suggest that President Serzh Sargsyan has
    started the constitutional reforms in order to secure his continued
    role in the government after leaving the post in 2018. The reforms
    implies a transition from the current semi-presidential to a
    parliamentary system of government, and for Sargsyan, who will not
    be eligible to run for president again, this, indeed, would be an
    opportunity for "reincarnation" as an influential prime minister or
    parliament speaker.

    The troika in principle does not stand against a parliamentary system,
    it mostly says that now is not the right time for that. This allows
    experts to assume that the troika is going to foil the constitutional
    reforms in order to take another candidate to power. The most likely
    name of such a candidate is second President Robert Kocharyan.

    Nothing is being said openly about Kocharyan's plans to return to
    active politics. But experts believe that his positions are not
    that strong as one could think. In particular, it is connected with
    the case against AFK Sistema in Russia. Kocharyan is a shareholder
    and sits on the Board of Directors of this company. At present, AFK
    Sistema head Yevgeny Yevtushenkov is under house arrest, there is a
    possibility of the nationalization of some of the company's assets,
    in particular, of the Bashneft oil company. According to some views,
    it cannot but affect the political capital of Kocharyan. And the main
    question is whether Kocharyan continues to enjoy the support of the
    Russian leadership.

    Despite the public demand for revolutionary movements and opposition
    slogans, the rallies of the non-governing troika appear to be little
    trusted by the protest electorate. First of all, it is connected with
    the absence of a common agenda. But most importantly - many ask why
    the troika decided to hold its main rally on October 10.

    A major event for Armenia - formal accession to the Eurasian Economic
    Union (EEU) - is expected to take place this day at the summit of
    the emerging organization in Minsk, Belarus. The attitudes of the
    troika members are different towards Armenia's membership in the
    Russian-led bloc. Heritage considers joining the EEU to be a loss of
    sovereignty for Armenia, the ANC views it as an irreversible process,
    and the PAP has never opposed Eurasian integration.

    Many in Armenia regard the circumstance that the rally is scheduled
    for October 10 as a means of pressure on President Sargsyan in order
    for him not to refuse to sign the agreement at the last moment. In
    this regard, some Armenian experts argue that the activities of the
    troika are supported by Moscow to keep Sargsyan in the Eurasian orbit.



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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