Kocharyan rules out electoral alliance with RPA

Second Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has stated that he sees no possibility of running in future elections together with the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). Kocharyan's office shared key takeaways from his Monday's interview, in which he addressed the current political situation and reflected on past events.

• With only a year left until the next parliamentary elections, Kocharyan expects political tensions in the National Assembly to intensify. "They know what they’ve done and that accountability is approaching," he noted.

• Kocharyan clarified that while there had been discussions with the RPA ahead of the 2021 elections, he did not ask for their participation. "In fact, their involvement hindered my efforts," he said, adding that third President Serzh Sargsyan was firmly opposed to opposition participation, while he himself believed it was essential.

• Reflecting on the 2018 revolution, Kocharyan said the power shift had serious consequences for both the RPA and Sargsyan. "I have my own vision, which doesn’t fully align with that of the RPA," he stated.

• On the nature of their political relationship, Kocharyan remarked: “The RPA came to power during my presidency. It's debatable who supported whom in their rise. It’s even a matter of moral integrity to claim otherwise.”

• Recalling the days before Sargsyan’s resignation, Kocharyan said he had warned him of the growing unrest. “He assured me everything was under control, but resigned days later. I believe there was a misreading of the situation.”

• Kocharyan did not rule out a future political coalition if necessary to remove the current government but rejected the idea of a joint election campaign with the RPA.

• Criticizing the current government, he accused it of incompetence. “They admit their ignorance. I suggest replacing the word ‘ignorance’ with an emoji representing Nikol [Pashinyan],” he quipped.

• Emphasizing his leadership capabilities, Kocharyan said: “My past shows I can manage crises. I’m the person who can solve these problems.”

• He concluded by praising the Armenian people: “We have a brilliant nation, intelligent, hardworking and resourceful. Our people’s skills and knowledge have been a major driver of foreign investment.”