Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia
I’ve just made another post on CRD/TI Armenia’s Election Monitor 2007, and this time its about Gagik Tsarukian and Prosperous Armenia. As we all know by now, Prosperous Armenia has now become a major part of the political landscape here, so feel free to discuss any of the issues raised over on the post. However, please note the guidelines regarding normal etiquette above the commens box.
The Armenian Blog Review notes with some sarcasm that Kornelij is not surprised that multi-millionaire businessman, MP and former sportsman Gagik Tsarukian has been re-elected as Chairperson of the party he founded last year. Indeed, Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia party is a phenomenon that appears to have taken the whole country by storm.
Like him or loathe him, there’s no avoiding him, and Tsarukian’s name is on everybody’s lips these days — regardless of their political preference or persuasion. RFE/RL has more on yesterday’s Prosperous Armenia party congress held in Yerevan.
The full post is here.
There is no “phenomenum” as such. Tsarukian and his “Prosperous Armenia” is nothing but a mean tool created by the “People’s elect” Kocharyan in order to re-produce kocharyanism in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.
Comment by Hye Azad — February 16, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
Onnik invites for discussion and comments both at Oneworld and the CRD/TI Armenia’s Election Monitor 2007 about the issues related to the “Prosperous Armenia” - the “overnight” party that recruited 370,000 memebers over the period of one year to become the largest party around (RFE/RL).
Comment by Observer — February 16, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
members who were mainly forced/didnt have a choice to membership because they needed medical care, feed themselves (potato) or just because they dont want to loose their jobs or their kids being kicked out of schools or kindergartens.
Comment by Haik — February 17, 2007 @ 1:16 am
I feel so sad about these poor citizens. It was the same 10 years ago. Nothing has changed. Everybody is ready to sell his or her vote in return for potatoes, sugar, favor…cash…anything…
Prosperous Armenia is not a party. It is a joke and reflects how weak the civil society in Armenia is. We have such a distorted understanding of what the political party is…what the real philanthropy is, what the charitable action is…
Comment by Nanul — February 17, 2007 @ 1:40 am
I think it’s OK when people sell their votes because that’s what democracy is in its essence. It is the same all over the world. The difference is that in Western countries the voters sell their votes very expensive. ..
We need to organize voter education centers, so that during these elections they sell their votes for flats, expensive cars etc. etc.
Comment by Armen — February 17, 2007 @ 3:10 pm