Republican Party of Armenia
Encyclopedia
The Republican Party of Armenia is a national conservative
political party
in Armenia
. It was the first political party in independent Armenia to be founded (2 April 1990) and registered (14 May 1991). It is the largest party of the centre-right
in Armenia, and claims to have 140,000 members. The party controls most government bodies in Armenia.
The Economist
magazine has described the HHK as a "typical post-Soviet 'party of power' mainly comprising senior government officials, civil servants, and wealthy business people dependent on government connections."
on May 25, the party received 23.5% of the popular vote, winning 31 out of 131 seats. At the last parliamentary elections
on May 12, 2007, the party received 33.91% of the popular vote, winning 64 out of 131 seats.
The former prime minister, Andranik Markaryan
, was the leader of the party.
Current President of Armenia
, Serzh Sargsyan, is the chairman of HHK board.
ideology (roughly translated as "nation-religion"). It was formulated by Garegin Nzhdeh and holds that the Armenian national identity and state should carry religious significance for all ethnic Armenians.
In an HHK congress held in Yerevan in November 2007, then Prime Minister and presidential candidate Serge Sargsyan acknowledged that bribery
, nepotism
and other corrupt practices are widespread in Armenia. "Tax evasion and corruption must be regarded as a disgraceful and condemnable phenomenon," said Sarkisian. "We must not take into account family ties and friendship and must not regard as friends and supporters those people who will avoid paying taxes and tolerate this vicious phenomenon." However, his opponents have long accused him of sponsoring the oligarchs enjoying the economic kickbacks.
National conservatism
National conservatism is a political term used primarily in Europe to describe a variant of conservatism which concentrates more on national interests than standard conservatism as well as upholding cultural and ethnic identity, while not being outspokenly nationalist or supporting a far-right...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. It was the first political party in independent Armenia to be founded (2 April 1990) and registered (14 May 1991). It is the largest party of the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
in Armenia, and claims to have 140,000 members. The party controls most government bodies in Armenia.
The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
magazine has described the HHK as a "typical post-Soviet 'party of power' mainly comprising senior government officials, civil servants, and wealthy business people dependent on government connections."
Parliamentary elections
At the 2003 parliamentary electionsArmenian parliamentary election, 2003
Parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on 25 May 2003. There were 56 constituency seats and 75 elected on a national basis using proportional representation. They saw the Republican Party of Armenia emerge as the largest party, with 33 of the 131 seats...
on May 25, the party received 23.5% of the popular vote, winning 31 out of 131 seats. At the last parliamentary elections
Armenian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on 12 May 2007. 1,364 candidates ran for the 131 seats, 41 of which were constituency seats with the remaining 90 being filled by a proportional party-list system...
on May 12, 2007, the party received 33.91% of the popular vote, winning 64 out of 131 seats.
The former prime minister, Andranik Markaryan
Andranik Markaryan
Andranik Margaryan served as the Prime Minister of Armenia from 12 May 2000, when the President appointed him, until his death on 25 March 2007. He was a member of the Republican Party of Armenia...
, was the leader of the party.
Current President of Armenia
President of Armenia
President of Armenia is the title of the head of state of Armenia since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.-Democratic Republic of Armenia :*Avetis Aharonyan *Avetik Sahakyan *Avetis Aharonyan -Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and Armenian...
, Serzh Sargsyan, is the chairman of HHK board.
Slogans
During the 2003 Armenian parliamentary elections, the party's slogan was "Let's rely on our minds and our arms." During the 2007 parliamentary elections, the party's slogan was "For you, Armenia!"Ideology
The Republican Party's national conservative ideology is based on tseghakron, an early 20th century Armenian nationalistArmenian nationalism
Armenian nationalism in the modern period has its roots in the romantic nationalism of Mikayel Chamchian and generally defined as the creation of a free, independent and united Armenia formulated as the Armenian Cause . Armenian national awakening developed in the 1880s in the context of the...
ideology (roughly translated as "nation-religion"). It was formulated by Garegin Nzhdeh and holds that the Armenian national identity and state should carry religious significance for all ethnic Armenians.
Popular support
According to Eurasianet, 2007 surveys put popular support for the Republican Party at 10 to 16 percent of voters. In a 2007 telephone survey of 2000 people, the British Populus opinion polling center put support for the Republican Party at 31 percent of the voters.Political Corruption
Most of Armenia's so-called "oligarchs" (government-connected entrepreneurs who enjoy de facto monopoly on lucrative forms of economic activity) are now affiliated with the HHK.In an HHK congress held in Yerevan in November 2007, then Prime Minister and presidential candidate Serge Sargsyan acknowledged that bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
, nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
and other corrupt practices are widespread in Armenia. "Tax evasion and corruption must be regarded as a disgraceful and condemnable phenomenon," said Sarkisian. "We must not take into account family ties and friendship and must not regard as friends and supporters those people who will avoid paying taxes and tolerate this vicious phenomenon." However, his opponents have long accused him of sponsoring the oligarchs enjoying the economic kickbacks.
HHK-affiliated oligarchs
HHK-affiliated entrepreneurs who enjoy de facto monopolies in Armenia include:- Samvel Aleksanian, a parliament deputy with close ties to former President Robert Kocharian and current President Serzh Sarkisian, whose Salex Group has a monopoly on imports of sugar, flour, cooking oil, butter and other basic foodstuffs
- Aleksandr Sargsyan, brother of President Serge Sargsyan and parliament deputy who has a fifty percent stake in Multi Lion, Armenia's leading supplier of liquefied gas to households, cars and buses (the other fifty percent is owned by Gagik TsarukianGagik TsarukianGagik Kolyai Tsarukyan ,, also known by his nickname Dodi Gago is an Armenian politician and a wealthy businessman. He is seen as the most influential of Armenia's government-connected "oligarchs" and key business partner of Kocharyan owning over a dozen big businesses and living in a very large...
's Multi Group).
HHK official accused in corruption
- In September 2008, the Audit Chamber of Armenia accused Surik Khachatrian, governor of the southeastern Syunik Province, and government officials subordinated to him of embezzling 575 million drams ($1.9 million) worth of public funds and property. Surik Khachatrian claims he is innocent.
External links
- Republican Party of Armenia official site