MIllyarder, in an interview with RBC TV channel, spoke about plans to start a political career, and also admitted the possibility of becoming president of Armenia. At the same time, he noted that he is ready to take any position for the sake of the Armenian people
Ruben Vardanyan
The ex-owner of the investment company Troika Dialog, billionaire Ruben Vardanyan ($1bn according to Forbes), in an interview with RBC TV channel, said that he intends to start a political career.
Answering the question whether he was going to go into Armenian politics, Vardanyan said that he has been asked about it very often lately. “I answer it [the question] briefly: yes. But in politics, which I believe, I formulate the answer to this question in a different way than just a political party, a desire to lead the country,” the businessman said.
Watch the full interview with Vardanyan at 10:10 on the RBC TV channel.
According to Vardanyan, he is now in an active phase of wanting to find answers to very important questions concerning the development of Armenia. “These are all issues that go beyond me as a businessman and go beyond my usual everyday life. In this sense, of course, I’m in politics,” he explained.
Answering the question whether he is ready to become President of Armenia, Vardanyan noted that he has also been asked about this “for many, many interviews”. “Now to want to lead the country in today’s state, from the point of view of the ordinary Armenian society, that he wants to be the leader of the country, it is necessary to be an illogical person. Because the country is in a very difficult state. The real future is completely unclear,” the businessman noted.
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The entrepreneur believes that the issue of preserving Armenia as an independent state is currently acute, therefore, in such a situation, taking on the responsibility of becoming the head of state is a very brave and risky person. “Everything I say, I always say, if the elite that consolidates and thinks together that this is the right decision for me or another, any decision is possible, because I am ready to be both a shoemaker for my nation, and a cleaner, and a leader,” Vardanyan said.
He added that in the question of whether to lead the country or not, the answer for himself is very simple: “If I have taken responsibility that I am one of those who is ready to be responsible for the future of Armenia, including for this, I must be ready for any position and any position that may be, like this, and may be completely different.” “For example, an ambassador to Guatemala, if it is important for Armenia,” Vardanyan added.
On November 16, fighting broke out on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the territory controlled by the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic before the war at the end of last year. One Armenian serviceman was killed during the shelling, 13 more became prisoners of war, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia reported. Azerbaijan claimed the death of seven soldiers and ten wounded.
Baku and Yerevan accused each other of aggravating the conflict. Secretary of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigoryan said that the country’s authorities appealed to Moscow to protect the lands of Armenia under a 1997 bilateral agreement. He noted that, if necessary, the country uses the CSTO settlement mechanisms.
At that time, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held telephone talks with the Defense Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Suren Papikyan and Zakir Hasanov. On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border with the Prime Minister of Armenia. Soon Armenia and Azerbaijan stopped military operations.
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