ARF admits possibility of new coalition with RPA

ARF admits possibility of new coalition with RPA –

Armenianow – After months of speculation about the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) possible rejoining the government, a senior member of the currently opposition party has finally acknowledged such an opportunity. 

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Monday, ARF Bureau representative Hrant Markarian confirmed that late last week the party held talks with President Serzh Sargsyan and “in principle” accepted his offer of cooperation.

Markarian said he did not know whether a new coalition with the Sargsyan-led ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) could be formed before or after the 2017 parliamentary elections, but added that the ARF, which supported the adoption of the new Constitution and the transition to a parliamentary form of government, must assume responsibility for the implementation of the amended Constitution.

These days see in festivities in the American-Armenian community on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the ARF’s establishment, and one can hear from overseas that the oldest Armenian party still has unfulfilled tasks. It is said, in particular, that while part of the task has been accomplished – the creation of a sovereign Republic of Armenia, efforts are still needed for the unification of a “Great Armenia”.

Is the ARF joining the coalition to implement its goal of unification of Armenia? In 2009, the party left the ruling coalition because of Sargsyan’s attempts to normalize relations with Turkey on conditions that some in Armenia and many in the worldwide Armenian Diaspora considered to be unfavorable for the Armenian Cause. In 2015, the president recalled the Armenian-Turkish protocols from the parliament, and, apparently, the ARF found its demands fulfilled.

However, some Armenian experts argue that the ARF’s agreement to rejoin the coalition may pursue more “pragmatic” goals. The party would like to have a place in the government and the future parliament and it is not excluded that even before the 2017 elections it will receive some ministerial posts.

Media in Armenia are actively discussing what posts Dashnaktsutyun members may get in the government. In particular, they speculate about the imminent resignation of Economy Minister Karen Chshmarityan. Dashnaktsutyun member Ara Nranyan, who in February will cease to be a minister in the Eurasian Economic Commission, is being named as a possible candidate to replace Chshmarityan.

The ARF may also get the post of the minister for labor and social affairs, which was once held by the party when it was part of the coalition.

Some critics often refer to Dashnaktsutyun’s recent policies as “conformist” and “mercantile”. Critics note that after the transfer of the ARF’s head office to Armenia, the party has been more prone to make deals with the authorities, has “overgrown” with businesses, abandoning the struggle for the building of a national state. The ARF, however, rejects such allegations, saying that it has not departed from the principles proclaimed still in the 19th century. 

“I think that people are disappointed in political power, but the people also shows the way. The people shows exactly that way that we have been talking about for several years, that we have no option other than making a change of power by means of elections. And it is possible,” the ARF’s Markarian said.