Tsarukyan will use all legal instruments to protect his own  interests, including those related to  Ararat Cement plant - Iveta  Tonoyan

ArmInfo.The leader of  the "Prosperous Armenia" party, l Gagik Tsarukyan, will use all available legal instruments to protect his own interests, including those related to the Ararat Cement plant, as stated by Iveta Tonoyan,  spokesperson for the "Prosperous Armenia" party, at an urgent press conference on May 20.

"What is happening these days during the election campaign, where  representatives of various political forces are trying to present  their visions for Armenia's development and their election programs  to the Armenian public, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has  engaged in a policy that lacks programmatic speeches and healthy  criticism. Instead, it is defined by unacceptable lexicon, unbalanced  behaviour, threats of retaliation, and the weaponisation of state  instruments to crack down on opponents," Tonoyan stated.

She acknowledged that the authorities' use of these techniques is  aimed at attracting a larger audience. She urged them to move away  from them and present at least one program for the country's  development from the ruling party. Tonoyan also noted that, since  this morning, Pashinyan has been voicing threats against "Prosperous  Armenia" party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, including the nationalization  of his property.  According to her, this is nothing less than the use  of state power to exert pressure on opponents.

The PAP representative also commented on the leaks made about the  leaders of the opposition forces through a third-rate Latvian  publication, claiming that they are agents of foreign intelligence  services. She noted that everyone understands how this is done and  added that the same media outlet could leak information about  Pashinyan's past within 24 hours, but they do not intend to stoop to  that level.

"Regarding the intention to nationalize Ararat Cement, naturally, we  will be consistent in this process from a legal standpoint.  I would  like to emphasize that it is regrettable that, given the high crime  rate in the country and the rampant drug abuse, law enforcement  agencies, instead of confronting these challenges, are participating  in a one-man theatrical show and resorting to such actions," Tonoyan  said, adding that she wouldn't be surprised if Pashinyan soon wanted  to privatize the statue of Jesus Christ, or imprison the statue of  Jesus Christ.

Tonoyan added that Tsarukyan has already commented on Pashinyan's  threats regarding the privatization of his cement plant. "Gagik  Tsarukyan already said today that no loss of property can compare to  the horror of losing the homeland. The homeland can never be an  alternative to any issue. What are we talking about today, the  privatization of Ararat Cement? Let them privatize it. Naturally,  experts will take the legal route.  This process has been ongoing for  25 years, and today, during the pre-election period, they remembered  it.  The reasons are obvious: from the broken backbone of the economy  to the import of Azerbaijani cement into the country, to Aliyev's  demands, which Pashinyan silently complies," said the PAP  representative.  She reiterated that they will pursue the legal path,  first through Armenian authorities, and if necessary, all the way to  the European Court of Human Rights.

In turn, former Armenian Foreign Minister and PAP member Ara Ayvazyan  expressed concern about the rhetoric adopted by the Armenian  authorities. "The use of such rhetoric, where political opponents and  opposition representatives are stigmatized or ignored, is  unacceptable. The language used toward our brothers and sisters from  Artsakh is also unacceptable. The goal of these actions is to pit  Karabakh Armenians against our other citizens, to create a dividing  line," Ayvazyan said.

He further emphasized that such actions by the Armenian authorities  jeopardize the holding of free and fair elections, as they cannot be  held in such a climate without an elementary  respect for opponents.  "There can be no free expression of will when the physical and moral  safety of candidates and voters is not guaranteed.  Therefore, I  would like to appeal to the diplomatic missions accredited in  Armenia, as well as international organizations, especially those  monitoring elections, to issue a public statement reaffirming their  commitment to the standards of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice  Commission when conducting electoral processes in a free,  independent, and fair environment. We demand that you intensify your  monitoring of the processes in Armenia and  demand that the  authorities stop sowing discord," Ayvazyan noted.

The diplomat added that the deafening silence of international  organizations is perceived as a form of tolerance, giving a green  light for Armenia to become a democratic, yet nonetheless,  concentration camp.  Ayvazyan added that no one has forgotten how, in  the past, these same international organizations and diplomatic  missions meticulously pointed out certain failures of the Armenian  authorities (before 2018 – ed.). "Today, your silence compromises  your impartiality and erodes our democracy," Ayvazyan concluded.