June 14, 2012 - 10:10 AMT
Paper says Tsarukyan forced to ban Oskanian from parliament

According to Zhoghovurd paper, some authority circles have forced Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan to ban ex-foreign minister Vartan Oskanian from entering the parliament.

However, Oskanian refused to fulfill the demand, noting readiness to leave the party when necessary.

After the ex-minister took the parliamentary seat, criminal harassment began against him. Certainly, Tsarukyan’s spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan refuted the rumors.

“That’s absolute nonsense. Nobody can force Mr. Tsarukyan what to do,” the paper quoted her as saying.

But it stands to reason that Prosperous Armenia has reached a deadlock. On the one hand, it is reluctant to back Oskanian, on the other hand, it is unable to turn a blind eye to what’s happening, the daily says.