ArmInfo. Hovik Abrahamyan's withdrawal will not hinder strengthening of the Republican Party of Armenia at the upcoming elections, Deputy Speaker of Armenian parliament, member of RPA Board Eduard Sharmazanov expressed this opinion to ArmInfo.
Hovik Abrahamyan, the Ex Prime Minister of Armenia and RPA Board member, has confirmed the information about leaving RPA due to his intension to be involved in politics more actively. Abrahamyan promised to share the details of his decision in the nearest future.
"Founder of our party Ashot Navasardyan was stating that one enters RPA not for taking anything but for giving: energy, time and efforts. No one neglects Abrahamyan's role in the development of the party however, time goes on, we work on party construction and prepare for the upcoming session of the Party Board and remain leader in the political space of Armenia, and everyone will see that in the evening of April 2", Sharmazanov stated. He also noted that Abrahamyan's withdrawal, in which he does not see anything abnormal, will no way weaken the party, which in his assessment confidently moves foreword to new achievements rallied around its leader, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.
ArmInfo's sources in the RPA report that Abrahamyan has recently taken a decision to leave the RPA following his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow. ArmInfo previously reported about that meeting, citing its own sources. Abrahamyan confirmed that information, however, he noted that the meeting did not cover political issues. Nevertheless, ArmInfo's sources in the RPA claim that it was Medvedev that advised Abrahamyan to leave the party after the ex-prime minister complained that his position in the RPA has seriously weakened. Medvedev advised Abrahamyan to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections as a member of the Gagik Tsarukyan bloc.
On returning to Armenia, Abrahamyan met with some prominent RPA representatives and tried to persuade them to leave the RPA and join the Gagik Tsarukyan bloc. The details of the talks are not clear, however, Abrahamyan himself has submitted a notice to leave the party and then met with Tsarukyan to discuss his inclusion in the Gagik Tsarukyan bloc. The latter rejected Abrahamyan's request, saying that the electorate will not welcome his in-law's inclusion in the bloc.