The parliamentary discussion of the government’s program indicated the key role of Prosperous Armenia in the parliamentary status quo. In fact, Prosperous Armenia has become the cover of the parliamentary opposition. This cover cannot be hanging in the air because it will drop on the head of the opposition and will squeeze it. Meanwhile, none of the two government poles needs a squeezed opposition.
For Robert Kocharyan who is getting more and more ambitious towards both Serzh Sargsyan and his administration, the opposition is an essential factor, and the key issue is to keep it under cover. Hence, either Robert Kocharyan, or Serzh Sargsyan will sustain PA. At the same time, during the ongoing struggle for this party they will hold this cover above the opposition together by either edges until one of them is able to hold the cover alone.
All the opposition can do is to accommodate itself comfortably under it or to get out of it and stand in the scorching sun or simply fight with Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan for Prosperous Armenia, which is the worst option, of course.
Another option for the opposition is to think about a new scope in which case neither Serzh Sargsyan, nor Robert Kocharyan will be able to cover this scope with PA because it is not big enough
The new scope will not be another populous rally or street protests.
The new scope supposes new content, new civil benchmarks which will force PA to open, thus depriving Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan of the possibility to control the opposition.
By the way, it is not accidental that the criminal and oligarchic segment has launched a counterattack and return of those who had departed began after the opposition intentionally or unintentionally took a place under Prosperous Armenia.
It is also significant that the criticism of Prosperous Armenia focuses on Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, there is no other focus, there are no other names.
PA does not seem to enter into conceptual debate on division of politics and business.
PA does not seem to focus on the tax and customs system, the shortcomings there, especially customs machinations, corruption risks. To say that tax and customs reforms are needed or a light tax burden for SMEs is necessary means to say nothing. Even the government is saying these things. Meanwhile, the opposition or its alternative is expected to reveal the mechanisms of corruption, protectionism, calescence of business and government. In Armenia the role of the opposition is not declarative criticism but revelation of specific mechanisms.
The point is that when one reveals specific mechanisms, defines the scope of involved subjects and points to the names of those responsible, the society is provided with guidelines for control, thus ensuring additional guarantees for their own honesty.
However, this is not the problem of PA. The problem of PA is to cover the opposition which this party has perfectly done. Soon PA will need to institutionalize this solution, independent from who PA will eventually go to, Robert Kocharyan or Serzh Sargsyan.
In addition, Robert Kocharyan needs PA not only to come to power. The internal status of opposition is equally important for Robert Kocharyan to ensure his presence in domestic affairs. Therefore, it is possible that Sargsyan and Kocharyan will finally agree on this presence not to wear off in the domestic fight as a ground zero for the new system.
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