 The politics of prosperity: Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukian
The party was set up in late 2005 by Gagik Tsarukian, a multi-millionaire businessman close to President Robert Kocharian, and has since expanded dramatically. It now claims to have as many as 370,000 members, making it by far the largest political group in Armenia. The recruitment process gained momentum last fall amid large-scale agricultural relief, free medical assistances and other supposedly public services provided by Tsarukian to poor people across the country. The heavily advertised aid, condemned as a wholesale vote buying by opposition leaders and some pro-government politicians, seems to have earned the muscular tycoon a large following. Critics fear that the PAP will engage in more such activities (which it calls "benevolence") on the eve of the elections. Tsarukian and his top aides claim that the PAP is popular enough to win the elections. But with credible opinion polls virtually non-existent in Armenia, the extent of his and party's popularity remains unknown.
Tsarukian rarely speaks to journalists representing independent media, apparently anxious to avoid answering embarrassing questions about his ties with Kocharian and a sharp contrast between his conspicuous wealth and the modest taxes paid by his businesses. In a speech at a 2007 party conference, the former arm-wrestler said he has no desire to hold a senior position in the government or parliament, reinforcing the widely held belief that the PAP's mission is to further Kocharian's agenda.
Although the PAP is not officially represented in the election commissions, it has reportedly been given many of the commission seats controlled by President Kocharian. Hundreds of its members were trained to sit on those bodies late last year.
The PAP and its "benevolent" actions in particular have been heavily promoted by Tsarukian's Kentron TV and the Second Channel, which is allegedly partly owned by the influential chief of Kocharian's staff, Armen Gevorgian. The party has more than sufficient funds to air campaign ads on other channels.
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