ArmInfo.The questions related to the 1 March 2008 events should be asked to the incumbent authorities of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, ex-foreign minister of Armenia, leader of the Solidarity Party, said during an online conference.
"First, they are the beneficiaries, because they received the power and retain grip on power. I voluntarily refused the position I was offered in the incumbent government. Second, they are investigating those events and I call for detecting all the culprits to avoid recurrence of the events," he said. Oskanian added that his difference from the other ministers before the 2008 March events is that he did not escape but called for a dialogue. "I cared for the stability and image of the country. I have no remorse," he stressed.
He noted that he took an independent decision to become an oppositionist though he had an opportunity to remain in the power camp and hold various positions. "I was offered to remain minister, to become the President's assistant for foreign policy or an ambassador to a foreign country. In addition, in 2008 Robert Kocharyan considered my candidacy and Serzh Sargsyan's candidacy for the President's position. He chose Sargsyan with due regard for his military experience," he said, urging people to vote for the bloc, which will include Oskanian as well.
Oskanian thinks that there should be a strong alternative to the ruling regime to win the elections. "Ex- defense minister Seyran Ohanyan, a member of our bloc, has military skills, I have an experience in foreign policy, there are good relations with Diaspora, and we can find the ways to settle the economic problems. Our goal is to become a real alternative to the authorities," he said.
He added that the country needs new power and new figures. It also needs a creative economic policy, he said, stressing the need for investments and grant programs and pointing at Kirk Kerkorian's will, Millennium Challenge, etc. as the financial sources.