Businessman Gagik Tsarukian put the emphasis on his and Prosperous Armenia (BHK) party’s economic programs when he launched its parliamentary election campaign on Tuesday.
Tsarukian rallied supporters in Abovian, a town about 20 kilometers north of Yerevan where he has held sway for more than two decades.
“You know that my words always lead to action and that I turn everything I say into reality,” he told the crowd.
“I didn’t graduate from Harvard but I have a lot of experience,” the former arm-wrestler said, touting his achievements in business.
The BHK, Tsarukian went on, will exempt small businesses from taxes, cut interest rates and help create many jobs if it returns to government as a result of the December 9 general elections. He did not specify his party’s electoral goals and expectations.
The BHK has finished second in all parliamentary elections held in Armenia since 2007. It was part of former President Serzh Sarkisian’s coalition government from 2008-2012.
Tsarukian’s party reached a similar power-sharing agreement with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian after he came to power in May this year. Pashinian fired his BHK-affiliated ministers in October, accusing Tsarukian of collaborating with Sarkisian’ Republican Party of Armenia.
The tycoon has since avoided public criticism of the new government. Speaking at the Abovian rally, he echoed Pashinian’s calls for an “economic revolution” in the country.
But he also said: “My dear people, I have trouble talking to anyone these days. People are angry, upset and disappointed. But I must tell you, my dears, that you all expect things to get better. And they will get better for sure.”
Participants of the rally held pictures of Tsarukian and his chief bodyguard Eduard Babayan, who is running for the parliament on the BHK ticket in a local constituency.
Babayan was arrested in July on charges of beating up a man. He strongly denied the charges and was freed from custody on bail in August.
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