Sureniants: BHK received slap in face yesterday

“BHK (Prosperous Armenia Party) received a slap in the face yesterday: during the formation of the new government, not only BHK member Hrachia Rostomian was relieved of his post as sport minister, but also the legendary sportsman Yuri Vardanian, who is not on friendly terms with Gagik Tsarukian – to put it mildly – was appointed to that position,” political scientist Suren Sureniants said at a meeting with journalists today.

According to him, in this way the authorities told BHK: “Go to the place that you have long wanted to go”.

“As for the elections to Yerevan Council of Elders, I think BHK and Hello Yerevan bloc should take up their seats in the Council and work actively there. Rejecting seats would mean that you show contempt for the citizens who elected you. And after the replacement of sport minister, I would not like Gagik Tsarukian to resign as President of the National Olympic Committee because he has greatly contributed to the development of sports in Armenia,” Sureniants noted.

The political scientist also commented on the failure of Armenian National Congress (HAK), Orinats Yerkir Party (OEK), and ARFD to have their representatives in Yerevan Council.

“OEK votes were collected by Armen Yeritsian, rather than by the party itself. As regards HAK and ARFD, these parties lost for the same reason: they carried out secretarial duties. Why should the voter have voted for HAK that carried out secretarial duties for BHK instead of voting for BHK? Why should the voter have voted for ARFD and not for Hello Yerevan?” Sureniants said.

He expressed an opinion that by the autumn at the latest, BHK should either reject its business wing and become an opposition force or reject Vartan Oskanian and the political wing and back the authorities.