Gagik Tsarukyan’s issue legal, without any political context: Pahsinyan

I have stated that there are no oligarchs in Armenia and I have been criticized for it, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at a news conference today, referring to the initiative of the Citizen’s Decision party to strip off Gagik Tsarukyan of his parliamentary mandate.

“Oligarch means the authority of small group of people, oligarch is a person or people who have levers to influence on the decisions of the authorities. There are no such oligarchs in Armenia. As to Gagik Tsarukyan, the application have been given by procedures, it must be discussed and a decision be made. It is a legal issue, I do not see any political pre-context here,” the head of the government said.

“Do you think our government needs intrigues? We have gathered 70% at the elections. If parliamentary elections take place today, we will gather more votes. The incumbent premier has no issue of keeping the power,” the PM said.