On The Campaign Trail — Prosperous Armenia
Gagik Tsarukian, Prosperous Armenia Election Rally, Malatia-Sebastia, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007
Sksel a might have pioneered the concept of the Flash Mob in Armenia, but MP, former sportsman and Prosperous Armenia founder Gagik Tsarukian might be taking the idea to a whole new level with his election campaign. Rather than announce the place and time for his rallies well in advance, Prosperous Armenia just seems to hold them without warning.
Attempts to contact Baghdasar Mheryan, Prosperous Armenia’s Press Secretary, have proven very difficult this week because the guy always seems to be busy although we had scheduled a meeting for tomorrow. Even so, this was through one of the party’s workers who I had met earlier.
As it was, however, Isabella Shirinian, Prosperous Armenia’s Youth Coordinator, contacted me 15 minutes after the meeting started in Yerevan’s Malatia-Sebastia district and I jumped into a taxi. Just as well as I only managed to catch the last 20 minutes of the meeting, but did manage to finally see the man himself in action.
And it has to be said, he was not what I expected. Indeed, for such a figure, he seemed even down to earth and it’s not hard to see why many Armenians look up to him. Of course, promises were made which critics would argue can’t be fulfilled, but let’s face it. Politicians do that all the time, and especially during election campaigns.
This was one of the points made by my taxi driver en route, for example. They all make promises they don’t keep, he said when I asked him what he thought of Prosperous Armenia. Tsarukian, he continues, has at least opened up factories and employed people. Basically, he said, Tsarukian has already done what others only promise to do.
Some would point to Tsarukian’s reported tax evasion to counter this argument, but for most Armenians I don’t suppose it matters. Such arguments are a luxury for us in the West, I suppose, and not in transitional former Soviet Republics such as Armenia. Today, The Economist even touched upon this reality.
The BHK launched its activities little more than a year ago and claims to have since recruited as many as 370,000 members, or 12% of the Armenian state’s population. The party is capitalising on its leader’s vast financial resources, which are being spent on distribution of agricultural relief, free medical aid, and other public services to large numbers of impoverished people. The aid, condemned as a wholesale buying of votes by opposition and even some HHK leaders, is earning Mr Tsarukian a populist appeal that should translate into solid voter support for his party on polling day. BHK supporters are too disillusioned with the traditional Armenian parties to care about a huge disparity between Mr Tsarukian’s conspicuous wealth and modest taxes levied from his businesses.
And indeed, there doesn’t seem to be any negative opinion of Tsarukian from the Armenians I’ve spoken to in recent months. People are either indifferent or seem to respect him. Perhaps it’s this that makes Tsarukian think that Prosperous Armenia will do well at the polls, as ArmInfo reported earlier today.
Prospering Armenia party will gain majority in the next parliament, the leader of the party, businessman Gagik Tsarukyan said today during a meeting with voters in Shengavit community.
Parliamentary candidate Versandik Hakopyan said that the party will do its best to prevent electoral fraud. PA member Aram Safaryan promised that the party will create new jobs, develop SMEs and solve social problems.
The Republican Party apparently begs to differ. Moreover, while the campaign has only just started to get underway, Prosperous Armenia does appear to have a lot going for it. Contrary to popular opinion, Tsarukian seems to be able to communicate well with your average Armenian, and he has none of the superiority complexes that afflict other politicians.
Anyway, this post is just my gut reaction from today, and nothing scientific. As they say, the only reflection of public opinion will be the poll conducted on election day itself. On that, I’ve heard whispers that exit polls might be conducted this time round in Armenia. If that’s true, this would make things very interesting indeed.
However, there’s been no official confirmation of this so far. Maybe it will just turn out to be parallel vote tabulation which was undertaken during the last presidential election, for sure. Interestingly, the results were never released.
Gagik Tsarukian, Prosperous Armenia Election Rally, Malatia-Sebastia, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007
So you admit you have a soft spot for Gagik jan, huh?
Comment by cgarbis — April 12, 2007 @ 2:32 am
Just reporting what I saw and what I heard. Surprised even me, I have to be honest, although many others have been coming to this conclusion in recent weeks. Nevertheless, didn’t realize how down to earth he appears. I was even more surprised at how confident he is speaking. Sure, some will criticize him for promising the world to the people, but to be fair that’s what all the political parties and candidates are doing — and without explaining how.
Like I said in the post, many Armenians at least see Tsarukian as someone who has opened factories and created jobs. We can argue that many more could be opened and so on if the situation was different in Armenia, but as people don’t trust some of the alternatives on offer, they can believe this more. Sometimes I wonder if in the Armenian reality, most Armenians can understand people like Tsarukian more than those who wear slick suits and spout figures and policies at them.
Even now, 16 years after independence, those Armenians that remain respect powerful figures such as Tsarukian. Let’s see to what extent that feeling extends on election day.
Comment by Onnik — April 12, 2007 @ 2:41 am
Apparently others do not really like Prosperous as a result….
from A1+ http://www.a1plus.am/en/?page=issue&iid=47805
‘PROPEROUS ARMENIA’ HEADQUARTERS BLEW UP
[12:32 pm] 12 April, 2007
more images Today early at dawn one of the Headquarters of “Prosperous Armenia” party was blown up. The latter was in the address of Narekatsi 39, bld. 16. The chairman told “A1+”that there was a bomb in front of the door. Not only are the headquarters destroyed through but also the shop nearby. According to the shop owner, his shop suffered losses of 25000 USD.
In fact, the same lot fell on another headquarters in Kanaqer-Zeytun community. The party avoids giving any comments on the accident. As to press secretary Baghdasar Mheryan, the party will make an announcement soon.
Comment by Tamar — April 12, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
Right, I heard the news while on the road with Heritage and came back to Yerevan earlier to visit one of the sites. Although most people are pointing the finger at the ruling Republican Party, some people are still not sure if these are genuine clashes or have been manufactured. From visiting the office in Avan and seeing the expression on people’s faces, if the blame is laid on the HHK, I’d say the clashes are real and as a result of concerns about Prosperous Armenia’s popularity. Still, I suppose it’s still too early to say, but some gut reactions for now.
Comment by Onnik — April 12, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Rhyne compares Gagik Tsarukian’s old image with his new one as captured yesterday. A lot of Armenia’s richest men make miraculous transformations when it suits them. I remember coming to Armenia in 1998 and everybody spoke about Grzo in unfavorable terms. Now known by his given name, Khachatur Sukiasyan, he’s considered somewhat respectable in today’s Armenia. Meanwhile, we can only wait to see if there will be any retaliation for this morning’s bomb attacks on two Prosperous Armenia campaign offices. Kocharian has apparently involved himself which kind of indicates that the culprits are considered to be the obvious.
Comment by Onnik — April 12, 2007 @ 7:24 pm