Who are you to think that Tsarukyan has you in mind? BHK spokesperson to Edmon Marukyan

The Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) has responded to the statement made by Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the Bright Armenia Party, during a live broadcast on his Facebook page.

The party's spokesperson, Vanik Elizbaryan, posted the response on his Facebook page, stating:

“Yesterday, a representative from one of the political forces in Armenia, Edmon Marukyan, made several claims that I consider it necessary to address.

So, in response to Edmon Marukyan's unfounded claims:

1. First Claim:

   According to Marukyan, Gagik Tsarukyan failed to answer his question during a debate broadcast on Public Television.

   - The debates were broadcast live and were clear and comprehensive in Gagik Tsarukyan's responses regarding both “Shangrila” and the separation of business and politics, except for Edmon Marukyan and his team. As a lawyer, Marukyan should be aware of the Constitution of Armenia, which does not prohibit property owners from engaging in politics and legislative activities. Regarding “Shangrila,” Marukyan, as a model legislator, is well informed about the law passed in parliament that grants such privileges for an investment of 100 million dollars, and today anyone willing to make such an investment, just like the investors in “Shangrila,” can have the same conditions.

   By the way, another clarification specifically for Marukyan: Eduardo Eurnekian has a casino license in the airport area without providing the mentioned 100 million dollar investment, yet he does not utilize this opportunity simply because, under the current socio-economic conditions, this business cannot be profitable. Therefore, we urge Marukyan to show where the monopoly in this sector is. It simply does not exist.

2. Second Claim – March 1:

   “Prosperous Armenia” and Gagik Tsarukyan have repeatedly stated that they are in favor of revealing the truth about March 1 as soon as possible and holding the guilty parties accountable. Regarding the fact-finding group, an active investigation is currently underway concerning the March 1 case, and we are confident that in the newly possible Armenia, there will be no pressure on law enforcement authorities, and at least we believe that the truth regarding the March 1 case is not far away. We hope that after the truth is revealed, all slanderers, including Marukyan, will have enough dignity to simply apologize.

3. Third Claim – Tsarukyan is an Oligarch:

   We are forced to clarify the etymology of the term “oligarch” once again for Edmon Marukyan as a classic politician. An oligarch is one who uses his office in public administration for business interests. Let us remind you that Gagik Tsarukyan has never held any state position, and you cannot provide any instance where the political capital of “Prosperous Armenia” has been utilized for any business purpose. There has never been and cannot be such a fact.

4. Fourth Claim – There are many gaps in Tsarukyan's wealth:

   There are no gaps, Mr. Marukyan. Gagik Tsarukyan's capital has been transparent from the first penny to the last, and tax audits from various authorities have found no abuses. If any breaches had been identified, one minute would not pass before it would be announced widely. Remember Serzh Sargsyan's order to tax authorities to start extensive audits in enterprises entrusted to Tsarukyan's fiduciary management. We assure you, no such systematic and consistent audits have been conducted with any economic operator in Armenia. And if there had been any abuses, you would not doubt that a major scandal would ensue.

5. Fifth Claim – Kocharian is the founder of BHK:

   Dear Mr. Marukyan, the founder of BHK is Gagik Tsarukyan and our teammates, along with the people. And if Kocharian had any connection to BHK, then today BHK would be alongside Kocharian, like some supporting political forces.

6. Sixth Claim – Marukyan claims that Tsarukyan is threatening him:

   Mr. Marukyan, you have an overly inflated, unfounded self-evaluation. Who are you that Tsarukyan would pay attention to you at all? Perhaps it is your wish to be threatened and you put on the mask of a political victim. Your hopes are in vain. Presenting as a victim of political persecution, Mr. Marukyan, is a rather worn-out method of establishing oneself in the political arena, so try to find much more honest alternatives for self-establishment.

7. Seventh Claim – about Arab investments after the previous parliamentary elections:

   Mr. Marukyan, if we are not mistaken, you are a practicing lawyer, you master well the Armenian legislation and should at least have minimal knowledge to understand that every investor requires clear guarantees, and neither Tsarukyan nor anyone else can force investments on any investor in a political climate that poses risks for that investor. Yes, those investors were willing to invest, and their guarantees could only be the BHK if it received the maximum votes.

8. Eighth Claim – Tsarukyan ordered members of the “Tsarukyan” faction to vote in favor of Serzh Sargsyan's premiership:

   Mr. Marukyan, decisions in the “Tsarukyan” faction are made through open discussions, and it was decided to leave each MP's vote free regarding this matter. Moreover, regarding the votes, we once again emphasize that you, Edmon Marukyan, have repeatedly voted in favor of and defended the policies of President Serzh Sargsyan's governments. Now who is cooperating with the former authorities? We believe the answer to this question is very clear. And you will not find among the BHK team, including our former MPs, anyone who would say that Tsarukyan instructed him to vote for Serzh Sargsyan. If Tsarukyan had issued such an instruction, then the entire team would have acted as one person in executing that political decision. Such a thing has never happened, and you, as a classic politician, should well understand the differences between a political decision and a free vote.

9. Ninth Claim – In 2015, Tsarukyan left the people alone, citing bloodshed:

   Dear Mr. Marukyan, we understand that there are many figures who would stop at nothing, even sacrificing lives, to achieve their political objectives and seize power. You, of course, will not understand this, but the people have realized and appreciated that for Gagik Tsarukyan, the safety of each of his compatriots is a much higher value than any power.

10. Tenth Claim – You did not visit Tsarukyan and that was your decision:

    Watch the interview of Gevorg Shahinyan, which you are quite familiar with, and your answer to that claim will also be given there. Selective political amnesia will not save you in this case.

11. Eleventh Claim – If it were not for Eduard Babayan, then Bright Armenia would be the second political force in parliament:

    In fact, Mr. Marukyan, you are admitting that Eduard Babayan has much more authority and political weight than the entire Bright Armenia along with its political team and sponsor combined. This is a case where we completely agree with you.

In conclusion, however, you did say one correct statement at the end of your 40-minute speech: that our country faces many challenges and needs to focus solely on solving these problems. Dear Mr. Marukyan, it has already been several days that efforts are being made to explain to you that you should not focus your whole team on targeting Gagik Tsarukyan every day while leaving aside the issues facing the country. After all, Tsarukyan, as indeed a powerful man, shook your hand at the end of the debates and also congratulated “Bright Armenia” on passing into parliament. You have been the aggressor, you did not digest the debate, and it was you, Mr. Marukyan, and your team who spoke exclusively and solely about Gagik Tsarukyan and the “Prosperous Armenia” for days on different broadcasts and various media platforms. And when we are unjustly accused, we respond. It has always been this way, and it will be this way in the future.

We believe that no claim you made in yesterday's broadcast has gone unanswered. If there are any remaining questions for you, let us know; we will clarify those as well.”