How Sargsyan killed and resuscitated opposition?
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
There is a new political atmosphere taking shape in Armenia these days since the ruling regime managed to completely neutralize the political opposition, leaving the country at the mercy of a political monopoly.
Rulers in Yerevan have triumphed over the political opposition following a short but violent political war. The largest opposition party, the Prosperous Armenia was dismantled severely following its leader, Gagik Tsarukyan's miserable withdrawal from the party's leadership and his announcement that he was retiring from political life all together.
Ever since, both political experts and media have attempted to discover what role President Serzh Sargsyan played into the destruction of PAP. While officials might have claimed Tsarukyan's decision was his own, many if not all Armenians understand perfectly well that covert agendas and pressures have been at play.
Media have reported that it was under the impetus of President Sargsyan that the PAP was taken down. The Yerevan-based media outlet Lragir.am claims that Sargsyan divided his strategy against the PAP into three major phases: bait, transformation or disappearance and comeback.
In the first phase, Sargsyan deliberately turned a blind eye to the rise in popularity and power of the opposition front - the Prosperous Armenia Party. The authorities worked zealously to present the party as the real opposition front, making sure to present its leaders as opposed to Yerevan. This was of course a mere ploy aimed at fooling Armenians that democracy was indeed playing out. For example, Tsarukyan who often and vocally slammed the government is actually conducting business ventures with some of Yerevan's high and mighty, namely Sargsyan's major devotee Prime Minister, Hovik Abrahamyan.
Hetq, an investigative journalistic center in Yerevan, reported that Abrahamyan and Tsarukyan hold equal shares in Aysirkap and Forts companies in Armenia - owning 25 percent of shares each at Forts.
When Tsarukyan has gone past all limits to challenge Sargsyan, the second phase of the operation started - dismantlement of the PAP.
As soon as the opposition party matured enough to stand against Sargsyan-led constitutional reforms, the time came to repress it. Sargsyan's ardent plea on February 12 sounded the trumpet of war. He severely criticized the opposition leader calling him an "evil" for Armenia's statehood. The critic was understood as a a sign the state stood ready to crack down against one of its tycoons.
Under extreme pressure, Tsarukyan has gradually been crumbled. Finally after a meeting with Sargsyan on February 18 he publicly revealed his intention to retire from the PAP and resign from political life.That was the end of the second phase: Tsarukyan disappeared leaving his party and followers all alone.
Moreover, numerous members left the party either to join other forces or just distance themselves from the PAP.
The period following Tsarukyan's absence and the mess which ensued saw Sargsyan-led authorities enjoy sole control over Armenia's political arena. But such plan did not go un-notice. Voices have begun to rise up in Armenia, denouncing such an autocratic takeover.
This prompted the last phase of this Machiavellic plan to be set in motion - the revival of the PAP.
On March 12, Sargsyan received Naira Zohrabyan, Tsarukyan' successor as head of the PAP, in his cabinet to primarily discuss constitutional reforms. As a result, Zohrabyan nodded to all reformative moves to be realized under the constitutional refreshment.
In exchange, Sargsyan allowed the PAP to come back to its position as an opposition player. Eventually, the unipolar political field in Armenia has again turned into a bipolar arena welcoming the dissent's return.
As Armenia is set to commemorate its so-called "genocide", calm has been restored across the territories. It is important to note that this "genocide" Armenia claims took place in 1915 has yet to be recognized as such by the international community. And since there is no proof that it did indeed take place it is likely it will never do.
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