Newspaper: Leader of Prosperous Armenia studies possibility of joining ruling coalition and distribution of ministerial portfolios with authorities

 Leader of Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan has recently met with Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan. They discussed the issue of government formation, a local Haykakan Zhamanak Daily writes referring to its source in the pro-government circles.

Asked to either confirm or refute the given rumors, Press Secretary of the Prime Minister Haroutyun Berberyan said that the prime minister regularly meets with the leaders of political forces. PAP Spokesperson Tigran Urikhanyan, in turn, told Haykakan Zhamanak Daily that he has no relevant information. Representatives of the party also avoided making any official statements on the issue.  However, one of them said in a private talk that he had also heard of the meeting and was trying to find out some details. The paper writes that Tsarukyan invited the party's key personnel to a discussion
overnight, but no details of the meeting are reported.   "There are rumors in the pro-government circles that the Republican Party of Armenia and Prosperous Armenia Party are negotiating to form a coalition. According to the same sources, Tsarukyan is ready to join the coalition if PAP gets 5 portfolios in the new government. RPA, in turn, is ready to cede only three or four portfolios," the paper writes.

At the same time, a local Hraparak Daily writes that RPA and PAP are studying the latter's joining the coalition. The paper writes that announcement of the final staff of the government has been postponed till May 9 for that very reason. "The persons negotiating behind the scenes have agreed that some portfolios, including in the humanitarian sphere and maybe in the diplomatic 'corps' will be provided to PAP if it receives the second place at the upcoming elections to the Elders' Council," the paper writes.

At the Thursday session, the RPA Board and the Executive Body supported Acting Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan's candidature for the given post. Acting Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will also retain their positions.