YEREVAN—The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)—headed by former Armenian President, turned-Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian—lost its parliamentary majority in Armenia’s National Assembly on Wednesday, after controversial businessman Samvel Aleksanyan left the RPA faction.
The news about Aleksanyan’s exit—which reduced the number of RPA seats to 52—was confirmed by the RPA’s parliamentary head Vahram Baghdasarian. The Republicans held a total of 58 seats before Sarkisian’s resignation as the country’s prime minister on April 23, after weeks of protests and demonstrations by the public.
The news of Aleksanyan’s departure from the RPA faction came a week after it was announced that his family-owned Yerevan City supermarket chain was being accused of and investigated for large-scale tax evasion by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS). Though Aleksanyan—widely known as “Lfik Samo” has not commented on the allegations, key figures of Yerevan City and several other supermarkets also accused of fraud, released a joint statement claiming that they were allowed not to pay several taxes by the country’s previous administration, in order to keep food prices low and warned that the NSS’ investigation could risk the future of their operations.
Aleksanyan, who himself is not an RPA member but has been a part of the RPA faction in parliament since 2003, has been marred by controversy over the years, specifically in regards to his businesses and shady trade practices. He is believed to be one of the richest people in the country, who has had a stronghold on the imports of sugar, cooking oil, wheat, and other food products.
I’m shocked to hear these type of allegations in a country so, so poor such as ours, whereby, they have to barrow money to purchase weapon from the same source who loaned them the money . 🙉😱
And yet, we have these selfish millionaires and billionaires who are corrupt to the core and bankrobbed the country.
I have in the recent past donated financial help to several schools and programs. Donated my services to help, teach and perform countless operations in the the field of obstetrics and gynecology only to see and find out how some selfish Doctors/ People in general, who still operate and conduct business as usual with their shady ways that were, and still are prevalent since the Soviet times. It only gives me pose to rethink and reflect of the things done for nothing. This country needs another seventy years to shed their soviet era skin and join the rest of the civilized world.
Why is it a shock? All of his misdeeds have been known about for years. Aleksanyan’s mistake is being a mere member of parliament – if he had his own political party he’d still be immune.
How delightful it is that the Republican Party no longer constitutes the majority within the Armenian Parliament. And that’s how it should always be. No one particular party should ever hold the majority within Armenia’s Parliament.
well simply needs a bullet to his brain, what a pile of nonsense. Monopolising the crucial sector of the economy while we have millions of acres of land we can use.
Nigol needs to be more resolute with these pigs!!!
Resoublican party of Armenia must be banned just as nazi party has been, period.