A few days ago Member of RA Parliament, member of Civil Contract Party Sasun Mikayelyan was elected chairman of Yerkrapah Volunteer Union (YVU).
Though rumors on his becoming chairman of YVU had long been circulated by media, Sasun Mikayelyan was consistently denying them.
On June 7 last year, Sasun Mikayelyan said at a briefing with reporters that even if they ask, beg him, he will not become chairman of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union. “They are circulating news that Mikaelyan Sasun will become president of the YVU. Such a thing has never occurred and will not occur to Mikaelyan Sasun. I don’t have to be chairman of Yerkrapah to do my activity.”
However, as time demonstrated, Sasun Mikayelyan was unanimously elected YVU Chairman. Moreover, Mikayelyan has noted that he will lay down the powers of the Chairman of the Board of the Civil Contract Party.
It is noteworthy that contradictory statements on their future positions are becoming a tradition among Armenian public officials.
Everyone probably remembers that during the constitutional reform debate in 2014, the third president, Serzh Sargsyan, announced that he would never nominate his candidacy for the position of the RA President, and if there was a transition to a model of parliamentary governance, he would not aspire to the post of prime minister. “I believe that one person should not claim for the position of the ruler of the country more than twice in his life”, Sargsyan had said.
Events following Serzh Sargsyan’s statements are a different topic of discussion. However, we should assume that we should not take for granted public officials’ statements about their future activity.
Karine Kirakosyan