The party lists which will be most probably published next week will answer only one question – who will run in the parliamentary elections. The questions who will not be nominated and what the rejected people will do will remain up in the air.
There is already discontent in the Armenian National Congress regarding the party list. Three parties announced to leave the Congress, the press already reports dissatisfaction among others. There is dissatisfaction in the Republican Party as well, especially among odious oligarchs who have been sent to the precincts. In addition, the Republicans decided to run candidates only in 33 precincts, which means that not everyone will have the chance to get into the parliament.
Dissatisfaction is not expressed yet but apparently Serzh Sargsyan is trying to come to terms with everyone who has been rejected and makes promises not to allow dissatisfaction to escalate into sabotage.
The threat of sabotage is not big. On the one hand, the resource of the oligarchs is not so big, both in terms of economic and manpower issues. Intimidation is no longer effective, the oligarchs depend on the government economically and will prefer to accept the conditions to entering into a conflict. They may do some minor nasty things but it is hardly possible.
The government does not want to earn enemies among its old friends and includes the ex-ones in the Republican executive body. The ex-mayor Gagik Beglaryan, Karen Karapetyan, Hovik Abrahamyan. Serzh Sargsyan is trying to keep them beside him in case they do something foolish. Others are offered guarantees to keep their businesses.
In fact, what can the opal oligarchs do? Their business and income does not depend on free economy, their right to property is not protected by the law, and any action they take may make them trumps. They can only blame themselves if this is the case because each of them participated in the creation and consolidation of this system and as a result became its victim.
The ex-ones know that their era has ended, and now young technocrats and career hunters will come and the “old wolves” will have to bow to them. They will either have to accept the new conditions or join in a new party to return their positions themselves.
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