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Vazgen Sargsyan

Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan[1] (Armenian: Վազգեն Զավենի Սարգսյան, pronounced [vɑzˈɡɛn zɑvɛˈni sɑɾkʰəsˈjɑn]; 5 March 1959 – 27 October 1999) was an Armenian military commander and politician. He was the first Defence Minister of Armenia from 1991 to 1992 and then from 1995 to 1999. He served as Armenia's Prime Minister from 11 June 1999 until his assassination on 27 October of that year. He rose to prominence during the mass movement for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia in the late 1980s and led Armenian volunteer groups during the early clashes with Azerbaijani forces. Appointed defence minister by President Levon Ter-Petrosyan soon after Armenia's independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991, Sargsyan became the most prominent commander of Armenian forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.[2] In different positions, he regulated the military operations in the war area until 1994, when a ceasefire was reached ending the war with Armenian forces controlling almost all of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.

Vazgen Sargsyan
Վազգեն Սարգսյան
8th Prime Minister of Armenia
In office
11 June 1999 – 27 October 1999
PresidentRobert Kocharyan
Preceded byArmen Darbinyan
Succeeded byAram Sargsyan
Defence Minister of Armenia
In office
25 July 1995 – 11 June 1999
President
Preceded bySerzh Sargsyan
Succeeded byVagharshak Harutiunyan
In office
5 December 1991 – 20 October 1992
PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan
Preceded byDrastamat Kanayan (1920)
Succeeded byVazgen Manukyan
Leader of the Republican Party
In office
1998–1999
Preceded byAshot Navasardyan
Succeeded byAndranik Margaryan
State Minister on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs
In office
July 1993 – 25 July 1995
PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded bySerzh Sargsyan
Presidential Adviser on Defence Affairs
In office
20 October 1992 – 5 March 1993
PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byVazgen Manukyan
Head of the Supreme Council Commission on Defence and Internal Affairs
In office
June 1990 – 5 December 1991
PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born(1959-03-05)5 March 1959
Ararat, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
Died27 October 1999(1999-10-27) (aged 40)
Yerevan, Armenia
Cause of deathArmenian parliament shooting
Resting placeYerablur
Political party
RelationsAram Sargsyan (brother)
Alma materYerevan Institute of Physical Culture
Occupation
  • Politician
  • military commander
  • teacher
  • writer
Awards
Signature
NicknameSparapet
Military service
Branch/service
Years of service1989–1994
RankColonel
Battles/warsFirst Nagorno-Karabakh War

In the post-war years, Sargsyan tightened his grip on the Armed Forces of Armenia, establishing himself as a virtual strongman.[3] After strongly supporting Ter-Petrosyan to retain power in 1996, he forced the president out of office in 1998 due to the latter's support for concessions in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement negotiations, and helped Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan to be elected president. After his relations with Kocharyan deteriorated, Sargsyan merged the influential war veterans group Yerkrapah into the Republican Party and joined forces with Armenia's ex-communist leader Karen Demirchyan. In the May 1999 elections, their reform-minded alliance secured a comfortable majority in the National Assembly. Sargsyan became prime minister, emerging as the de facto decision-maker in Armenia with effective control of the military and the legislature.[4]

Sargsyan, along with Demirchyan and several others, was assassinated in the Armenian parliament shooting of 27 October 1999. The perpetrators were sentenced to life in prison. However, the distrust toward the trial process gave birth to a number of conspiracy theories. Some experts and politicians argue that their assassination was masterminded by Kocharyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan. Others have suspected the possible involvement of foreign powers in the shooting.

Despite his mixed legacy, Sargsyan is now widely recognized as a national hero across the political spectrum and by the public. Given the honorific Sparapet, he made significant contributions to the establishment of Armenia as independent state and ensuring its security as the founder of the Armenian Army.[5] He has also been criticized by human rights organizations for being undemocratic, especially for his role in elections. Sargsyan was awarded the highest titles of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh—National Hero of Armenia and Hero of Artsakh.

Early life and career edit

Vazgen Sargsyan was born in Ararat village, Soviet Armenia, near the Turkish border, on 5 March 1959, to Greta and Zaven Sargsyan.[6][7] His ancestors had moved to Ararat from Maku, northern Iran, following the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28.[8][9][10] After finishing secondary school in his village, he attended the Yerevan Institute of Physical Culture from 1976 to 1979. He worked as a physical education teacher at the secondary school in Ararat from 1979 to 1983. Therefore, he was exempt from conscription in the Soviet army. From 1983 to 1986, he was the Young Communist League (Komsomol) leader at the Ararat Cement Factory.[6][11]

An amateur writer, Sargsyan developed a literary and active social life. He wrote his first novel in 1980,[12] and became a member of the Writers Union of Armenia in 1985.[12] From 1986 to 1989, he headed the publicity department of the Garun («Գարուն», "Spring") literary monthly in Yerevan.[11] In 1986, his first book, Hatsi pordzutyun («Հացի փորձություն», Bread temptation), was published, for which he was awarded by the Armenian Komsomol.[12] A number of his works were published in journals. However, his literary career did not last long and ended in the late 1980s.[13]

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict edit

Early stages and independence of Armenia edit

The relative democratization of the Soviet regime under Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika policies since the mid-1980s gave rise to nationalism in the republics of the Soviet Union. In Armenia, the Karabakh movement gained widespread public support. Armenians demanded the Soviet authorities unify the mostly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) of Azerbaijan with Armenia. In February 1988, the NKAO regional legislature requested the transfer of the region from the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan SSR to Armenian SSR, but it was rejected by the Politburo. Tensions between Armenians and Azerbaijanis further escalated with the pogrom in Sumgait.[14] With both groups arming themselves, clashes became frequent, especially in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh and the border areas of the two Soviet republics. In 1989 and 1990, Sargsyan took the command of Armenian volunteer groups fighting near Yeraskh, on the Armenian-Azerbaijani (Nakhchivan) border, not far from his hometown.[15]

By January 1990, he became part of the leadership of the Pan-Armenian National Movement.[16] Sargsyan was elected to the Armenian parliament (the Supreme Council) in the May 1990 election.[6] He served as the head of the Supreme Council Commission on Defense and Internal Affairs until December 1991.[6] With his initiative, the Special Regiment was established in September 1990. Composed of 26 platoons and a total of 2,300 men, it was the first formal Armenian military unit independent from Moscow. It became the main base of the Armenian army in the following years.[17]

 
Armenian soldiers in Karabakh, early 1990s.

By 1991, most Armenians from Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis from Armenia were forced to move to their respective countries, as remaining in their homes became nearly impossible.[18] Although Armenia had proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union on 23 August 1990, it was not until on 21 September 1991, a month after the failed August Coup in Moscow, when the overwhelming majority of Armenians voted for the independence in a nationwide referendum. Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the leader of the Karabakh Committee and the head of the Supreme Council since 1990, was elected president of Armenia in October.[19]

Active military involvement edit

Due to the fact that Sargsyan was popular among Armenian volunteer units and army officers,[20] he was appointed the first Defense Minister of independent Armenia by President Ter-Petrosyan in December 1991.[6][21] On 28 January 1992, the Armenian government passed the historical decree "On the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia," which formally created the Armed Forces of Armenia.[22][23] With the rise of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, in March 1992, Sargsyan announced that Armenia needed a 30,000-strong army for maintaining security.[24] On 9 May 1992, the Armenian forces recorded their first major military success in Nagorno-Karabakh with the capture of Shusha. Another significant victory for the Armenian forces was recorded weeks later with the capture of Lachin,[25] which connects Armenia proper with Nagorno-Karabakh.[26]

In summer 1992, the situation turned critical for the Armenian forces following the launch of Operation Goranboy, during which Azerbaijan took control of northern half of Nagorno-Karabakh.[27] On 15 August 1992, Sargsyan called on Armenian men to gather and form a volunteer unit to fight against the advancing Azerbaijani forces in the northern parts of Nagorno-Karabakh. In a televised speech he stated:

If 10–15 men from every district of Armenia come together, we can form a battalion of 500. This battalion must fight in the most dangerous areas, where the chance of survival is 50–50. Together we will go fight in the most difficult parts and we will win. Because, in reality, nothing has changed, the enemy is the same enemy, which was escaping and we are the same. It's just that we have lost the faith in our power. Now we need another attack and we must do it with the old guys to stimulate others in the army. If the day after tomorrow we will be able to establish a battalion of 500 volunteers, then we will fight and we will win."[15]

The battalion Sargsyan called for, named Artsiv mahapartner («Արծիվ մահապարտներ», 'Eagles Sentenced to Death'),[28] was formed on 30 August 1992.[17] Under the command of Major-General Astvatsatur Petrosyan,[29] it defeated the Azerbaijani forces near the Gandzasar monastery and Chldran village in Martakert Province, on 31 August and 1 September 1992, respectively.[30] According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, the battalion's activity stopped the advancement of the Azerbaijani forces and turned the course of the war in favor of the Armenian side in the part of the region.[17]

Armenian military victory edit

 
The 1994 ceasefire ended the First Nagorno-Karabakh War with the Armenian forces establishing de facto control on the disputed area

Between October 1992 and March 1993, Sargsyan served as the Presidential Adviser on Defence Affairs and the Presidential Envoy to Border Regions of Armenia. Subsequently, he was appointed the State Minister on Defence, Security and Internal Affairs.[6][11] In these positions, Sargsyan had a major role in the advance of the Armenian army. With other key commanders, he regulated the operations to the Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.[31] He was particularly active in unifying the various semi-independent detachments active in the war zone.[32] Political chaos in Azerbaijan and the demoralization of the Azerbaijani army resulted in the Armenian forces taking control over the territories outside of the original Soviet-drawn borders of Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1993, Sargsyan founded and led Yerkrapah, a union of 5,000 war veterans, that had a great influence in Armenia's domestic politics in the post-war years and became the main base for Vazgen Sargsyan to rise in power.[33]

In early April 1993, the Armenian forces captured Kelbajar, a city outside the originally contested areas, causing international attention to the conflict. Turkey closed its border with Armenia, while the United Nations passed a resolution condemning the act.[34] In the summer of 1993, Armenian forces gained more territories and, by August controlled Fizuli, Jebrail, and Zangelan.[35] By early 1994, both countries were devastated by the war. On 5 May, the Bishkek Protocol was signed by the heads of the parliaments of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, backed by Armenia, established de facto control of these lands. Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh to Armenians) remains internationally unrecognized and a de jure part of Azerbaijan. However, it is in de facto unified with Armenia.[36][37]

Minister of Defence and president change edit

Sargsyan was appointed Minister of Defence by Ter-Petrosyan on 26 July 1995, during the restructuring of government ministries. He remained in that position for almost four years.[11] The Armenian army was highly regarded by experts with Armenia being described as the only former Soviet state that "managed to build a combat-capable army from scratch" and was "comparable in efficiency to the Soviet Army".[38] According to Thomas de Waal, the army was "the most powerful institution" in Armenia under him.[2] Sargsyan is credited with substantially professionalizing the Armenian army.[39]

Sargsyan showed strong confidence in the army and stated in 1997 that its strength has doubled in the past two years.[40] In the same year, in response to Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev's statements that Azerbaijan was "ready to solve the Karabakh problem by force," Sargsyan replied, "Let him do it. We are ready."[41] Sargsyan's term as Minister of Defence was marked by cooperation with Russia and Greece.[42][43] Sargsyan had "close connections" with the Russian military elite, especially Defense Minister Pavel Grachev.[44] According to the Jamestown Foundation, he pursued a military diplomacy with Greece, Cyprus, Syria, Iran and Bulgaria for a pro-Russian alliance.[45]

A 'power minister': 1995–96 elections edit

 
The Armenian Armed Forces headed by Vazgen Sargsyan significantly influenced the outcome of four elections from 1995 to 1999.[45]

Sargsyan became a key figure in post-war Armenia due to the fact that he was indisputably supported by the army, the only well established institution in Armenia.[46] He was described as an éminence grise of the Armenian politics,[47] deciding many personnel appointments and dismissals.[46] In the aftermath of the war, which was accompanied by a harsh economic crisis in Armenia, President Ter-Petrosyan became unpopular. His authoritarian rule, the banning of the major opposition party Armenian Revolutionary Federation in 1994 and the arrest of its leaders,[48][49] made him highly dependent on the "power structures," which included the ministries of defence (headed by Sargsyan), interior (Vano Siradeghyan) and national security (Serzh Sargsyan).[50] In July 1995, Vazgen Sargsyan helped Ter-Petrosyan's Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM) win the parliamentary election and pass the constitutional referendum that gave the president more powers in appointing and dismissing key judicial and legislative officials.[49][51] They were marred with major electoral violations.[48][49]

Sargsyan's impact on Ter-Petrosyan's presidency became more evident during the 1996 presidential election and the subsequent developments. A few days before the election, Sargsyan stated his support for Ter-Petrosyan, stating that Armenia "will enter the 21st century victoriously and stable with Ter-Petrosyan [as president]".[52] According to the Caucasian Regional Studies, Sargsyan "turned off the voters" from Ter-Petrosyan and caused "irritation and antipathy" in 28.6% of the people according to a poll.[53] The election, held on 22 September, was largely criticized by observation and monitoring organizations,[50][54] that found "serious violations of the election law".[49]

Official results, which recorded Ter-Petrosyan's victory in the first round with just above 50% of the total vote in his favor,[55] were denounced by opposition candidate Vazgen Manukyan who had officially received 41% of the vote. Manukyan began demonstrations claiming electoral fraud by Ter-Petrosyan's supporters. The protests culminated on 25 September, when Manukyan led thousands of his supporters to the parliament building on Baghramyan Avenue, where the Electoral Commission was located at the time. Later during the day, the protesters broke the fence surrounding the parliament and entered the building. They beat up the parliament speaker Babken Ararktsyan and vice-speaker Ara Sahakyan.[56] In response, Vazgen Sargsyan stated that "even if they [the opposition] win 100 percent of the votes, neither the Army nor the National Security and Interior Ministry would recognize such political leaders." He was later criticized by human rights organizations for this statement.[57] State security forces, tanks and troops were deployed in Yerevan to restore order and to enforce the ban on rallies and demonstrations on 26 September.[58] Sargsyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan announced that their respective agencies had prevented an attempted coup d'état.[59]

According to Astourian, in the crackdown Vazgen Sargsyan "intervened with an armed detachment and ordered the soldiers and the police to shoot at the legs of the demonstrators. Sargsian himself actually participated in the shooting."[59] According to Freedom House, Sargsyan was allegedly involved in beating and seriously injuring Ruben (Rubik) Hakobyan, an MP from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), after he was arrested during the demonstrations.[60]

Leadership split: Ter-Petrosyan's resignation edit

In 1997, the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France, pressured Armenia and Azerbaijan to agree on the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh. In September, Ter-Petrosyan stated his support of the "step-by-step" proposal, which included the return of the territories outside the NKAO borders.[61] Ter-Petrosyan argued the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and, therefore, the opening of the border with Turkey was the only way to significantly improve Armenia's economy.[61] After the plan was publicized, he came up against strong opposition. The issue was "important to the Armenians because of historical and psychological factors. After having been losing territories for centuries, the Armenians are reluctant to 'lose' Karabakh now that they have won a war against Azerbaijan."[62] According to political scientist Vicken Cheterian, "By calling for major concessions on Karabakh, Ter-Petrosyan was antagonizing the last forces that supported his rule, the army and the Karabakh elite, at a time when his popularity within the Armenian society was at its lowest."[63]

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic leadership, the Armenian intelligentsia and the diaspora, the opposition also expressed their opposition to the president’'s support for the proposed settlement plan.[63][64][4][65][66] Vazgen Sargsyan, who quickly denounced the proposal, became the de facto leader of the opposing group within the government.[67][4] He was joined by the two Karabakh Armenians in the government: Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan and Interior and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan. These three politicians were referred to as "hardliners" in the Western media for their perceived nationalistic stance.[68][69] They argued that "Armenia should try to improve its economic performance," while Ter-Petrosyan insisted that Armenia "could only achieve marginal improvements insufficient to address the fear of relative decline and economic exclusion".[65] The Kocharyan cabinet, where Vazgen Sargsyan was a leading figure, called for a "package" deal, "involving a single framework accord on all contentious issues".[62] On 21 October 1997, ten members of the Republic bloc in the parliament left the faction and shifted their support to Vazgen Sargsyan. Ter-Petrosyan's bloc in the parliament was left with a majority of two seats.[67] Despite the great public and political opposition, the Pan-Armenian National Movement voted in favor of Ter-Petrosyan's foreign policy.[70]

 
Vazgen Sargsyan and other "hard-liners" forced President Levon Ter-Petrosyan to resign in 1998.

During the National Security Council meeting on 7–8 January 1998 it became clear that Ter-Petrosyan did not have enough support to continue his reign as president.[71][72] On 23 January 1998, during the peak of the crisis, Vazgen Sargsyan declared his unconditional support to Robert Kocharyan,[73] and blamed the Pan-Armenian National Movement for trying to destabilize Armenia. Sargsyan also guaranteed that the Armenian army "will not intervene in the political struggle".[74]

Ter-Petrosyan announced his resignation on 3 February 1998.[75] According to Michael P. Croissant, it was Vazgen Sargsyan who "played ultimately the principal role in inducting the president's resignation".[71] In his resignation statement, Ter-Petrosyan referred to Vazgen Sargsyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan as "the well known body of power". He cited the threat of destabilization of the country as the reason of his resignation.[76] Ter-Petrosyan's resignation was followed by the resignation of National Assembly speaker Babken Ararktsyan, his two deputies, Mayor of Yerevan Vano Siradeghyan, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Arzoumanian and others.[71][77][73] A significant change occurred in the National Assembly. Dozens of members of the parliamentary faction called the Republican Bloc (mostly made up of Ter-Petrosyan's Pan-Armenian National Movement) joined Vazgen Sargsyan's Yerkrapah bloc, making it the largest parliamentary bloc, with 69 members compared to only 56 for the Republic.[78][71]

After Ter-Petrosyan's resignation, Prime Minister Kocharyan became acting president.[62][79] On 5 February 1998, Sargsyan denied the claims of a coup d'état and said that Ter-Petrosyan's resignation was "rather sad but natural". Sargsyan claimed that the president's move surprised him and that he had "been seeking common grounds with the president for the past three months". He added, "the only step I achieved on the Karabakh issue was the suggestion that the situation be frozen."[80] Almost a year after Ter-Petrosyan's resignation, Vazgen Sargsyan stated at the Republican Party convention that he "respects and appreciates" Ter-Petrosyan and described him as a "wise and a moral man and politician". Sargsyan insisted that the question of "political responsibility" was the main reason behind his resignation, and stated that if Ter-Petrosyan had decided not to resign, "no one could have removed him" and that Sargsyan would have resigned as defence minister instead.[81] Commenting on the circumstances of his resignation in 2021, Ter-Petrosyan insisted that Vazgen Sargsyan and Kocharyan were "ready for civil war" if he did not resign.[82]

1998 election: Kocharyan as president edit

 
With the support of Vazgen Sargsyan, Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan was elected president in 1998.

Sargsyan (along with Interior Minister Serzh Sargsyan) openly supported Kocharyan and used his influence for his election in March.[83][84] He called Kocharyan a "man of unity of word and action" and stated that his experience in Karabakh and Armenia "shows that he is capable of solving economic problems also".[85] Kocharyan's main opponent was Karen Demirchyan, the leader of Soviet Armenia from 1974 to 1988. Sargsyan praised Kocharyan for being part of the "struggle of the Armenian people" and criticized Demirchyan for not being part of it.[85]

No candidate gained more than half of the votes in the first round, while in the second round of the election, held on 30 March, Kocharyan won 58.9% of the vote. The British Helsinki Human Rights Group suggests that "ordinary Armenians turned to Robert Kocharian as someone untainted by mafia connections and the intrigues of Yerevan politics."[83] The OSCE observation mission described the first round as "deeply flawed,"[86] while their final report stated that the mission found "serious flaws" and that the election did not meet the OSCE standards.[87] Although Demirchyan didn't officially dispute the election results, he never accepted them and did not congratulate Kocharyan.[88][45] After the election, however, Sargsyan suggested Kocharyan appoint Demirchyan prime minister to decrease the tensions in the political scene.[88]

Even after becoming president, Kocharyan did not have any significant institutional support (e.g. a party, control of the army, a source of money) and remained "in a fundamental sense an outsider in Yerevan".[89] Kocharyan had a more tough position on the Karabakh settlement issue than Ter-Petrosyan.[90][79] He also urged the international community to recognize the Armenian genocide, something on which his predecessor did not place importance.[91] In response, Turkey and Azerbaijan tightened their cooperation in isolating Armenia from regional projects.[90] Kocharyan did not put pressure on the Nagorno-Karabakh leadership to concede territory to Azerbaijan. He was supported by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, which was allowed to actively operate after Ter-Petrosyan's resignation a month before the election.[4][71]

Rise in power edit

"From the very beginning there was a wrong impression that Yerkrapah can do nothing–but fight, however—time has shown that Yerkrapah can not only perform feats on battlefields—but also have a say in peaceful development."

 —Vazgen Sargsyan, May 1999[92]

Politicization of Yerkrapah edit

By 1998 Vazgen Sargsyan became "the power behind the throne"[93] as the Yerkrapah faction—made up of war veterans loyal to him—was the single largest faction in the Armenian parliament[94] following Ter-Petrosyan's resignation in February 1998.[95] Yerkrapah was merged with the Republican Party of Armenia—a minor party with an ideology similar to that of Yerkrapah[96]—in summer 1998, taking the party's name and its legal status.[97][98] Though Sargsyan was not the chairman of the Republican Party, he was considered its unofficial leader.[99]

The relations between Sargsyan and Kocharyan deteriorated after the presidential election with Sargsyan "casting around for partners unconnected with or downright opposed to the president".[100] Within several months three assassinations of top officials took place that spread rumors in Armenia that relations between Sargsyan and Kocharyan were "not normal".[101] In August 1998 Armenia's Prosecutor-General Henrik Khachatryan, a close friend of Kocharyan, was murdered in his office "in murky circumstances".[102][103] In December 1998 Deputy Minister of Defence Vahram Khorkhoruni was murdered "for equally mysterious motives", while in February 1999 Deputy Minister of the Interior Artsrun Margaryan was murdered.[104][105] Vazgen Sargsyan and National Security and Interior Minister Serzh Sargsyan, Kocharyan's close ally, were "also perceived to be at odds".[106]

Alliance with Demirchyan edit

It was initially announced that the Republican Party would go to the parliamentary election alone and would seek "qualitative majority" in the parliament, and that their goal was the fairness of the electoral process.[107] Surprisingly for many, on 30 March 1999, Vazgen Sargsyan and the runner-up of the 1998 presidential election and Armenia's ex-communist leader Karen Demirchyan issued a joint announcement that they were forming an alliance between the People's Party of Armenia and the Republican Party.[48][108] It came to be known as the Unity bloc (Miasnutyun dashink), often referred to as Miasnutyun.[88] Vazgen Sargsyan claimed the bloc was a "genuine" alliance and that the two parties had come together to lead Armenia "from a turning point to progress".[108] When asked about the reasons why he joined Demirchyan, Sargsyan said that, "there is no other way out."[92] According to the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Sargsyan "obviously concluded it was better to have the popular Demirchyan as an ally than an opponent," and that "in forming Unity bloc, Sargsyan and Demirchyan overcame whatever ideological differences they may have had, and said they had joined forces to overcome the difficult problems facing Armenia while promoting tolerance in the country's political life."[88] In analyst Richard Giragosian's words, the bloc was "an odd mix," however he admitted that it "effectively marginalized the electoral threat" of other parties.[109] Sociologist Levon Baghdasaryan described it as "unification of the new and old nomenklaturas".[95] The British Helsinki Human Rights Group wrote of the Unity bloc that it "aimed to appeal to the electorate by being all things to all men".[100] The ODIHR suggested that the "alliance was not only created for electoral purposes, but that a strategic political agreement had been reached while overcoming ideological differences".[110]

1999 parliamentary election edit

 
Karen Demirchyan (left) and Vazgen Sargsyan (right) during the election campaign of the Unity bloc in May 1999.

During the campaign, Sargsyan pledged that he would spare no effort to make sure the elections were free and fair.[111] Sargsyan and Demirchyan put the emphasis of their campaign on the economy and the improvement of the life of ordinary Armenians. Talking about Yerkrapah—now politically transformed into the Republican Party—Sargsyan said he was confident "that the people that gained victory on the battlefield will also gain victory in economy". He expressed his optimism saying that they were sure that they "will jointly change something and find the right course".[92] The Unity bloc "called broadly for a democratic society, rule of law, economic reforms and a market economy, with the state also creating conditions for the normal functioning of state enterprises and ensuring decent living standards for all".[112] Throughout the campaign, the Unity bloc was widely considered the favorite of the election.[112][47][113] Opposition newspaper Hayots ashkharh suggested that most other political parties in Armenia were gravitating towards the opposite pole, around Kocharyan, National Security & Interior Minister Serzh Sargsyan, and the leadership of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.[95]

The parliamentary election took place on 30 May 1999, just two months after Sargsyan's and Demirchyan's announcement about their decision to form an alliance. The Unity bloc won over 41.5% of the popular vote,[114] and took 62 of the 131 seats in the National Assembly.[115] The alliance established an effective majority with cooperating with a group of 25 independent and officially non-affiliated members of the parliament, sympathetic to the Sargsyan-Demirchyan coalition.[116][45] The electoral process "generally showed an improvement over the [previous] flawed elections, but ODIHR said they were "not an adequate basis for comparison".[117] ODIHR's final report described the election as "a step towards compliance with OSCE Commitments" and claimed that, along with improvements to the electoral framework and the political environment, serious issues remained.[118] The Council of Europe also suggested "considerable improvement" from the past elections. The National Democratic Institute report was more critical, saying it "failed to meet international standards" and that it proved to be the continuation of the flawed 1995 parliamentary elections, differing only in "the methods and types of manipulation".[119]

Prime Minister edit

At the Republican Party convention in January 1999. Sargsyan stated his desire in remaining in the position of Minister of Defence.[81] After the election speculations arose about Sargsyan wanting to combine the positions of Defence Minister and Prime Minister, however, this was impossible according to the Armenian constitution.[120] On 11 June 1999 he became Prime Minister of Armenia,[102][89] while Unity bloc co-chairman Karen Demirchyan was elected speaker of the National Assembly.[121]

Many experts suggest that Sargsyan as prime minister was the most powerful politician in Armenia,[122][45] while others suggest that he had become Armenia's strongest politician long before that.[123][124] According to Mark Grigorian, his "activities had began to overshadow" Kocharyan.[125] Despite Kocharyan's formal welcome of their alliance, the president was "effectively weakened"[89] and "was being sidelined".[89] Some political analysts suggested that the Sargsyan-Demirchyan alliance "ultimately would bring about the resignation of Kocharyan".[126][127] Vazgen Manukyan stated that Kocharyan "would end up like the "Queen of England".[100] Despite no longer being the Minister of Defence, Vazgen Sargsyan remained the de facto leader of the army,[4] as a close ally, Vagharshak Harutiunyan, replaced him.[128]

According to Styopa Safaryan, an analyst and former member of the Armenian parliament, despite his mixed legacy, under Vazgen Sargsyan Armenia became increasingly independent.[129]

"Today the economic development of Armenia is as important as victory in the war was yesterday. Our battle has moved from the field of blood and heroism, to the economic field."

 —Vazgen Sargsyan, Armenia-Diaspora Conference, 23 September 1999[130]

Economic policy edit

At the time of Sargsyan's Prime Ministry, Armenia had not yet recovered from the economic effects of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the energy crisis in Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.[90][unreliable source?] One of the major issues Sargsyan faces was mass emigration from Armenia, which started at the period of the decline of the Soviet regime.[131] The 1998 Russian financial crisis worsened the situation,[132] and showed a decline in human development.[133]

In his first address to the parliament as prime minister on 18 June, Sarsgyan described Armenia's economic situation as "grave." The budget revenues were almost 20% lower than the government had planned, because of the low level of tax collection and the high level of corruption in the Armenian economy. Although Sargsyan criticized the post-Soviet privatization by the Ter-Petrosyan government, he admitted Armenia had no alternative, and that his government had an enormous amount of work to do.[134][132] In his speech on 28 July, Sargsyan described the economic situation in Armenia as "extremely difficult, but not hopeless". According to him, the first half of 1999 saw $61 million less in the budged revenues than planned by the Darbinyan government. He said that tax evasion played a role in the budget deficit.[132]

Despite being criticized by the opposition, especially the National Democratic Union, the Unity bloc voted in favor (96 of the 131 MPs) of the austerity measures of the Sargsyan cabinet on 28 August, allowing Armenia to take loans from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The World Bank alone had loaned almost $0.5 billion to Armenia since 1992 to finance the budget deficits.[116] The Sargsyan cabinet wanted to diversify $32 million in the budget funds to be able to repay the internal debts. For this purpose, the excise tax was raised on cigarettes by 200% and on gasoline by 45%, seriously hitting the middle class.[132] Sargsyan described these as "painful but right steps" for getting the necessary amount of money from the foreign lenders. He pledged a "tougher crackdown on the shadow economy and more efficient governance".[135] National Assembly Speaker Karen Demirchyan called for a greater role of the state in the economy to ensure stability,[116] while President Kocharyan was mostly uninvolved in these developments.[135]

Notable events edit

During his Prime Ministry, Sargsyan helped to organize three major events. On 28 August 1999, the first Pan-Armenian Games began in Yerevan. Over 1,400 Armenian athletes from 23 countries participated in the games.[136] The closing ceremony took place in the Yerevan Sports and Concerts Complex on 5 September, with President Robert Kocharyan and Vazgen Sargsyan in attendance.[137] Just after the Games, which involved thousands of diaspora Armenian youth, the preparations for the eighth anniversary of Armenia's independence began.[138]

On 21 September, the anniversary of the day in 1991 when Armenians voted in favor of leaving the Soviet Union in a referendum, a military parade was held in Yerevan's Republic Square. Vazgen Sargsyan "was visibly the most excited of the government leaders standing on a specially built pedestal". In a short briefing after the parade, Sargsyan enthusiastically stated that he had "touched almost every piece of hardware you've just seen" and continued that he "just wanted to show it" to the Armenian people.[139]

During the next two days, on 22 and 23 September 1999, the first Armenia-Diaspora Conference was held in Yerevan. The conference brought together the Armenian political elite and many diaspora organizations, political parties, religious leaders, writers and over 1,200 representatives of Armenian communities from 53 countries, an unprecedented number.[140][141] Vazgen Sargsyan opened the second day of the conference with his speech-report about the economic and social situation in Armenia. The conference was closed by Sargsyan.[142][143]

Assassination edit

Shooting and funeral edit

 
The building of the National Assembly of Armenia

On 27 October 1999, at around 5:15 pm,[144][145] five assailants—Nairi Hunanyan, his brother Karen, their uncle Vram and two others[146]—armed with Kalashnikov rifles hidden under long coats,[144][147] broke into the National Assembly building in Yerevan, while the government was holding a question-and-answer session. They shot dead Vazgen Sargsyan, National Assembly Speaker Karen Demirchyan, Deputy National Assembly Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, Minister of Urgent Affairs Leonard Petrosyan, and Parliament Members Henrik Abrahamyan, Armenak Armenakyan and Mikayel Kotanyan. The gunmen injured at least 30 people in the parliament.[148][149] The group claimed they were carrying out a coup d'état.[150] They described their act as "patriotic" and "needed for the nation to regain its senses".[144] They said they wanted to "punish the authorities for what they do to the nation" and described the government as profiteers "sucking the blood of the people".[151] They claimed Armenia was in a "catastrophic situation" and that "corrupt officials" were not doing anything to provide the way out.[149][151] Vazgen Sargsyan was the main target of the group[45] and the other deaths were said to be unintended.[151] According to reporters who witnessed the shooting, the men went up to Sargsyan and said, "Enough of drinking our blood," to which Sargsyan calmly responded, "Everything is being done for you and the future of your children."[151] Vazgen Sargsyan was hit several times.[152] Anna Israelyan, an eyewitness journalist, stated that "the first shots were fired directly at Vazgen Sargsyan at a distance of one to two meters" and, in her words, "it was impossible that he would have survived."[145] Sargsyan's body was taken out of the parliament building on the evening of 27 October.[148]

With policemen, army troops, armed with APCs surrounding the building.[144] President Kocharyan gave a speech on TV, announcing that the situation was under control.[152] The gunmen released the hostages after overnight negotiations with President Kocharyan and gave themselves up on the morning of 28 October, after a standoff[150] that lasted 17–18 hours.[153][154]

On 28 October, President Kocharyan declared a three-day mourning period.[155] The state funeral ceremony for the victims of the parliament shooting took place from 30 to 31 October 1999. The bodies of the victims, including Vazgen Sargsyan, were placed inside the Yerevan Opera Theater.[156][157] A number of high-ranking officials from some 30 countries, including Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, attended the funeral. Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians and Aram I, the Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia gave prayers.[158]

Investigation and conspiracy theories edit

The five men were charged with terrorism aimed at undermining authority on 29 October.[147] The investigation was led by Gagik Jhangiryan, the chief military prosecutor of Armenia, who claimed his team was looking for the masterminds of the shooting even after the trial had begun.[159] According to Jhangiryan, the investigating team considered more than a dozen theories.[160] By January 2000, Jhangiryan's investigators considered the connection of Kocharyan and his circle to the parliament shooting.[161] Several figures close to Kocharyan were arrested, including Aleksan Harutiunyan, the deputy presidential adviser, and Harutiun Harutiunyan, the deputy director of the Public Television of Armenia, but they were released by the summer of that year.[154] Eventually, Jhangiryan failed to find evidence linking Kocharyan to the shooting.[154] The trial began in February 2001[162] and eventually, the five main perpetrators of the shooting (Nairi Hunanyan, his younger brother Karen Hunanyan, their uncle Vram Galstyan, Derenik Ejanyan and Eduard Grigoryan) were sentenced to life in prison on 2 December 2003.[163]

 
Armenia's former president Serzh Sargsyan was the National Security Minister at the time of the shooting.

A number of conspiracy theories developed about possible motives and architects behind the attack.[164][165] Stepan Demirchyan, Karen Demirchyan's son, stated in 2009 that "nothing was done by the authorities to prevent that crime and, conversely, everything was done to cover up the crime."[166] In March 2013, Vazgen Sargsyan's younger brother Aram stated he had many questions for both governments of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. He claimed the judicial process of 27 October had "deepened the public distrust in the authorities... [as] many questions remain unanswered today". According to him, the full disclosure of the shooting is "vital" for Armenia. Sargsyan insisted that he "never accused this or the former authorities of being responsible for 27 October. I have accused them of not fully disclosing the 27 October event."[167] In an April 2013 interview, Karen Demirchyan's widow, Rita, suggested the shooting was ordered from outside Armenia and was not an attempt at a coup, but rather an assassination.[168]

Although the investigation did not find any considerable evidence linking Kocharyan to the Hunanyan group, many Armenian politicians and analysts believe that President Robert Kocharyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan were behind the assassination of Vazgen Sargsyan and other leading politicians.[126][166][169][170][171] Former mayor of Yerevan Albert Bazeyan stated in 2002 that "We have come to the conclusion that the crime was aimed at making Robert Kocharian's power unlimited and uncontrolled. By physically eliminating Karen Demirchyan and Vazgen Sargsyan, its organizers wanted to create prerequisites for Kocharyan's victory in the future presidential elections."[124] Levon Ter-Petrosyan accused Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan and their "criminal-oligarchic" system of being the real perpetrators of the parliament shooting.[166] Nairi Hunanyan, the leader of the armed group, was a former member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun).[123] According to the ARF, Hunanyan was expelled from the party in 1992 for misconduct[146] and had not been in any association with the ARF since then.[45] Some speculations have been made about the involvement of the ARF in the shootings. In 2000, Ashot Manucharyan stated he was worried that "a number of Dashnaktsutyun party leaders are acting in the interest of the American foreign policy."[172]

Allegations of foreign involvement edit

Some analysts have suggested that foreign powers, including Russia, may have been behind the shooting. They pointed out the fact that Armenia and Azerbaijan were close in signing some kind of an agreement at the OSCE 1999 Istanbul summit over Karabakh, something not in Russia's interest.[171][173]

Russian secret service defector Alexander Litvinenko accused the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation of having organised the Armenian parliament shooting, ostensibly to derail the peace process, which would have resolved the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but he offered no evidence to support the accusation.[174][175][176] Russian and Armenian officials denied this claims.[169][177]

The French-based Armenian political refugee and former Apostolic priest Artsruni Avetisysan (also known by his religious name Ter Girgor) gave an interview to Armenian media network A1plus, in which he claimed the Russian secret services were behind the 27 October 1999, shooting.[178] He also claimed the shooting was perpetrated by Lieutenant General Vahan Shirkhanyan, the Deputy Minister of Defense from 1992 to 1999, and the National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan. He insisted the shooting was assisted by the Russian secret services to bring the "Neo-Bolshevik criminal clan" of Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan into power.[179]

Others suggested that it was in the best interest of the West to remove Sargsyan and Demirchyan from the political scene, as they had close ties to Russia.[171] Ashot Manucharyan, one of the leading members of the Karabakh Committee, the former Minister of Internal Affairs and Ter-Petrosyan's National Security Adviser and his close ally until 1993, stated in October 2000 that Armenian officials were warned by a foreign country about the shootings. He also declared that "Western special services" were involved in 27 October events. In Manucharyan's words, "the special services of the U.S. and France are acting to destroy Armenia and, in this context, they are much likely to be involved in the realization of the terrorist acts in Armenia."[172] Manucharyan claimed the shooting was planned by Kocharyan to get rid of his two major rivals (Sargsyan and Demirchyan), who were against the Goble plan, involving territorial concessions to Azerbaijan.[180]

Aftermath edit

Just after the shooting, the Interior and National Security Ministers Suren Abrahamyan and Serzh Sargsyan resigned as a result of pressure from the Defence Ministry, led by Sargsyan's ally, Vagharshak Harutiunyan at the time.[147][181][182] From early June to late October 1999, the political system in Armenia was based on the Demirchyan-Sargsyan tandem, which controlled the military, the legislative and the executive branches. The assassinations disrupted the political balance in the country and the political arena of Armenia was left in disarray for months.[48] The "de facto dual command" of Sargsyan and Demirchyan was transferred to President Robert Kocharyan.[183] James R. Hughes claims that the so-called "Karabakh clan" (i.e. Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan) was "kept in check" by Vazgen Sargsyan and his "military-security apparatus," while after the parliament shooting it came to be the sole influential group able to successfully take over the political scene in Armenia.[91] Since the leaders of the Unity bloc were assassinated, the two parties in the alliance (the Republican Party of Armenia and the People's Party of Armenia) gradually ceased collaborating and by late 2000, the Unity bloc collapsed.[184] Yerkrapah, the Republican Party, and the People's Party effectively lost their influence by 2001.[91]

Personal life and brothers edit

Sargsyan never married. According to Razmik Martirosyan, a friend and the Minister of Social Security from 1999 to 2003, Sargsyan promised in December 1987 that he would marry sometime before 8 March of the next year, but did not because the Karabakh movement started in February.[185] In a 1997 interview, Sargsyan revealed that his favorite historical military figure was Charles de Gaulle. When asked about what kind of Armenia he would like to see in five years, he said "an independent, self-sufficient country with strong culture, school and army".[15]

 
Aram Sargsyan, Vazgen Sargsyan's brother

Sargsyan had two younger brothers, Aram and Armen. Aram was appointed Prime Minister by President Kocharyan on 3 November 1999,[186] a week after Vazgen Sargsyan's death, largely as a "political gesture".[187] He admitted that Armenia has "no concept of state security" and that fact led to the assassination of his brother.[188] Aram Sargsyan served in the position of the Prime Minister for only six months. He was dismissed by Kocharyan on 2 May 2000,[189] due to "inability to work" with Sargsyan's cabinet.[190][191] In his television statement, Kocharyan claimed that he relieved Aram Sargsyan to end the "disarray" in the Armenian leadership. Kocharyan blamed him for being involved in "political games".[192]

Aram Sargsyan founded the Hanrapetutyun Party in April 2001, along with several influential Yerkrapah members, such as the former Mayor of Yerevan Albert Bazeyan and former Defence Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan. Its co-founder Bazeyan stated that the party is the "bearer of the political heritage of Vazgen Sargsian and will try to realize the programs aborted by the October 27 crime and its consequences".[193] The party backed up Stepan Demirchyan against Kocharyan in 2003[194] and Levon Ter-Petrosyan against Serzh Sargsyan in the 2008 presidential elections.[187] In a 2013 interview, Aram Sargsyan talked about the past 14 years after his brother's death:

If things were done as Vazgen Sargsyan wanted, I would not be in opposition and I would do everything I could to make his wishes come true. Today, I'm fighting for his wishes to be realized. His wishes were very simple. He wanted to see a strong Armenia. Vazgen was an optimist, and he spread hope, honesty, dedication, love for the fatherland. The president after Vazgen did the opposite. He only saw materialism and selfishness in people and encouraging those values he remained in power, thus polluting the country.[167]

Vazgen Sargsyan's other brother, Armen, supported Serzh Sargsyan in the 2013 presidential election.[195][196] On 5 March 2013, Aram Sargsyan was asked about his brother Armen's political stance, to which he responded, "I would very much like to ask Vazgen that question. I don't know what he would have answered. There are very few questions to which I don't know what Vazgen's answer would be. Unfortunately, our friends and relatives are not always the way we want them to be. I am not the first one, neither am I the last one; the history of the world is full of such examples starting from the Bible."[197]

Legacy and tribute edit

 
Vazgen Sargsyan's memorial in Yerablur
 
Statue of Sargsyan in Yerevan

Vazgen Sargsyan was awarded the title Hero of Artsakh, the highest award of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, in 1998.[12] On 27 December 1999, two months after the parliament shooting, Sargsyan was posthumously given the title National Hero of Armenia.[198] He widely is recognized as the founder of the Armenian army.[199][200][201]

A presidential decree issued on 28 December 1999 renamed the Yerevan Military Academy to the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University in his honor.[202] The Republican Stadium in Yerevan was named after Vazgen Sargsyan by the same decree. The 8th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Artsakh Defence Army is named after him.[203] Numerous streets in Armenia and Karabakh,[11] including one in Yerevan's Kentron (Central) district[204] and in Stepanakert,[205] and a park in Kapan[206] are named after Sargsyan. Statues or busts have been erected in his honor in Yerevan (2007),[207] Ararat (2009),[208][209] Vanadzor,[210] Kapan (2015), Vagharshapat (Ejmiatsin, 2015), Shusha (Shushi)[211] and other locations. In 2000, 27 October was declared a day of remembrance by the Armenian government.[212] In 2002, the Armenian Defence Ministry created the Medal of Vazgen Sargsyan, which is awarded for "meritorious services towards military education and improvements in service life".[213]

 
Sargsyan's Museum in Ararat

Every year, on 5 March (his birthday) and 27 October (the day of his assassination),[214] Sargsyan is commemorated in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. His comrades from the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union,[215] high state officials and many others visit the Yerablur cemetery, where Sargsyan is buried next to many Armenian military figures.[216]

Vazgen Sargsyan's museum was opened in his hometown of Ararat on 5 March 2001 by the decision made by the Armenian government.[217] Notable attendees of the opening ceremony of the museum included Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, National Assembly Speaker Armen Khachatryan, Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan, and other high-ranking military and diplomatic representatives, such as the former Russian Minister of Defence Pavel Grachev, who revealed in his speech at the ceremony that Sargsyan was once his student.[218]

Sargsyan is often referred to as Sparapet, a military rank that has existed since the ancient Kingdom of Armenia.[219][220] The phrase Sparapet Hayots (literally meaning 'Supreme Commander of the Armenians') is engraved on Sargsyan's memorial in Yerablur cemetery.[221] The song "Sparapet" by Alla Levonyan is dedicated to his memory.[222]

Public image and recognition edit

"The public doesn't really know me. Only people in my inner circle know me well. Others identify me by the beard, always mad, sweaty and that is today's image. People don't understand me, they are scared of me."

 —Vazgen Sargsyan[223][224]

In Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and, to a lesser extent, in the Armenian diaspora,[221] Vazgen Sargsyan is recognized as a national hero. Several survey conducted by Gallup, Inc., International Republican Institute, and the Armenian Sociological Association from 2006 to 2008, revealed that Vazgen Sargsyan topped the list of national heroes in public perception, with 15%–20% of the respondents giving his name. He has often ranked third, behind 20th-century military commanders Andranik and Garegin Nzhdeh, in surveys about the greatest Armenian national heroes.[225] Sargsyan is widely considered a charismatic leader.[44][226] He was generally perceived as a man of "tremendous power and charisma," known for his "brutality, temper, and nonchalant attitude toward the law".[227]

 
Sargsyan on a 2000 post stamp

His contributions have been acknowledged by his colleagues and comrades. In 1997, President Ter-Petrosyan stated that Sargsyan is someone who deserves the title of National Hero of Armenia. He added that "if all members of our government worked as conscientiously and selflessly as Vazgen Sargsyan, we would live in a perfect state."[228] Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan said in his speech during Sargsyan's funeral, "history will provide its assessment of Vazgen Sargsyan as a politician who stood at the birth of the Armenian state. His role in the creation of the national army is beyond appraisal. By his life and commitment, Vazgen Sargsyan has made an immense contribution to the establishment of a powerful country."[157] In 2007, giving a speech on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Armed Forces, then-Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan noted that he "was a valiant soldier dedicated to the cause of our statehood, and who revered the strength of Armenia and the strength of the Armenian soldier, and who had a staunch belief in our future success".[229]

 
Sargsyan's statue in Shusha (Shushi), vandalized and destroyed after the 2020 war.[230]

Manvel Grigoryan, leader of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union, recognized Sargsyan's contributions, stating that Sargsyan "was a strong individual and his greatness was felt not only during the war, but during the nation-building years after the war". According to Grigoryan "his presence was enough for the foreign leaders to become vigilant."[231] Dr. Ara Sanjian, the director of the Armenian Studies at the Haigazian University, wrote shortly after Sargsyan's assassination:

History will rightly remember Vazgen Sargsyan as the founder of the modern Armenian armed forces and one of the chief architects behind the victories in recent years on the Karabagh front. Comparisons made in recent days with Vardan Mamikonian and Andranik Ozanian are certainly not exaggerations in the technical sense. He seems to have been a personality who never ran away from shouldering the toughest of responsibilities and seemed to end always on the winning side.[232]

 
Vazgen Sargsyan Street in central Yerevan

In the West, Sargsyan was generally described as a hard nationalist.[233] The British journalist Jonathan Steele wrote of Sargsyan as "a fierce nationalist who always preferred action and force to words and diplomacy".[234] Encyclopædia Britannica describes Sargsyan as an "Armenian nationalist who devoted much of his life to the Armenian fight with Azerbaijan for control of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave".[235] Political scientist Razmik Panossian expressed the opinion that he was "the last significant nationalist politician whose commitment to Karabakh and Armenia was not doubted by anyone".[236]

Criticism edit

Sargsyan was criticized for being undemocratic, particularly for using his influence in pre-determining the election results.[111] The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe suggested in 1999 that his "record does not inspire confidence in his commitment to democracy."[237] The 2008 book Religious Freedom in the World described him as "thuggish" and held him responsible for the 1995 assaults on religious minorities in Armenia (especially those that discourage military service),[238] carried out, allegedly, by Yerkrapah.[239]

Thomas de Waal describes Sargsyan as an "emerging feudal baron." The Yerkrapah, founded by Sargsyan, "took over large areas of the economy."[240] Astourian quoted David Petrosyan, a columnist for the Noyan Tapan news agency and a "thoughtful observer of Armenia's political life", as claiming that Sargsyan "controlled part of the local market in oil products, part of the incomes generated from transport junctions and the greater part of bread production."[241] According to Philip Remler, Sargsyan was one of the prime beneficiaries of the illicit income from the Iran-Armenia border and the "godfather of cross-border trade and contraband".[242]

See also edit

References edit

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  2. ^ a b de Waal 2003, p. 257.
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Bibliography edit

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Armenia
1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by Defence Minister of Armenia
1995–1999
Succeeded by

vazgen, sargsyan, vazgen, zaveni, sargsyan, armenian, Վազգեն, Զավենի, Սարգսյան, pronounced, vɑzˈɡɛn, zɑvɛˈni, sɑɾkʰəsˈjɑn, march, 1959, october, 1999, armenian, military, commander, politician, first, defence, minister, armenia, from, 1991, 1992, then, from, 1. Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan 1 Armenian Վազգեն Զավենի Սարգսյան pronounced vɑzˈɡɛn zɑvɛˈni sɑɾkʰesˈjɑn 5 March 1959 27 October 1999 was an Armenian military commander and politician He was the first Defence Minister of Armenia from 1991 to 1992 and then from 1995 to 1999 He served as Armenia s Prime Minister from 11 June 1999 until his assassination on 27 October of that year He rose to prominence during the mass movement for the unification of Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia in the late 1980s and led Armenian volunteer groups during the early clashes with Azerbaijani forces Appointed defence minister by President Levon Ter Petrosyan soon after Armenia s independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991 Sargsyan became the most prominent commander of Armenian forces during the First Nagorno Karabakh War 2 In different positions he regulated the military operations in the war area until 1994 when a ceasefire was reached ending the war with Armenian forces controlling almost all of Nagorno Karabakh and seven surrounding districts Vazgen SargsyanՎազգեն Սարգսյան8th Prime Minister of ArmeniaIn office 11 June 1999 27 October 1999PresidentRobert KocharyanPreceded byArmen DarbinyanSucceeded byAram SargsyanDefence Minister of ArmeniaIn office 25 July 1995 11 June 1999PresidentLevon Ter PetrosyanRobert KocharyanPreceded bySerzh SargsyanSucceeded byVagharshak HarutiunyanIn office 5 December 1991 20 October 1992PresidentLevon Ter PetrosyanPreceded byDrastamat Kanayan 1920 Succeeded byVazgen ManukyanLeader of the Republican PartyIn office 1998 1999Preceded byAshot NavasardyanSucceeded byAndranik MargaryanState Minister on Defence National Security and Internal AffairsIn office July 1993 25 July 1995PresidentLevon Ter PetrosyanPreceded byPosition establishedSucceeded bySerzh SargsyanPresidential Adviser on Defence AffairsIn office 20 October 1992 5 March 1993PresidentLevon Ter PetrosyanPreceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byVazgen ManukyanHead of the Supreme Council Commission on Defence and Internal AffairsIn office June 1990 5 December 1991PresidentLevon Ter PetrosyanPreceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byPosition abolishedPersonal detailsBorn 1959 03 05 5 March 1959Ararat Armenian SSR Soviet UnionDied27 October 1999 1999 10 27 aged 40 Yerevan ArmeniaCause of deathArmenian parliament shootingResting placeYerablurPolitical partyPan Armenian National Movement 1990 1998 Republican Party of Armenia 1998 1999 RelationsAram Sargsyan brother Alma materYerevan Institute of Physical CultureOccupationPoliticianmilitary commanderteacherwriterAwardsNational Hero of ArmeniaHero of ArtsakhSignatureNicknameSparapetMilitary serviceBranch serviceArmed Forces of ArmeniaArmenian militiaYears of service1989 1994RankColonelBattles warsFirst Nagorno Karabakh War In the post war years Sargsyan tightened his grip on the Armed Forces of Armenia establishing himself as a virtual strongman 3 After strongly supporting Ter Petrosyan to retain power in 1996 he forced the president out of office in 1998 due to the latter s support for concessions in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement negotiations and helped Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan to be elected president After his relations with Kocharyan deteriorated Sargsyan merged the influential war veterans group Yerkrapah into the Republican Party and joined forces with Armenia s ex communist leader Karen Demirchyan In the May 1999 elections their reform minded alliance secured a comfortable majority in the National Assembly Sargsyan became prime minister emerging as the de facto decision maker in Armenia with effective control of the military and the legislature 4 Sargsyan along with Demirchyan and several others was assassinated in the Armenian parliament shooting of 27 October 1999 The perpetrators were sentenced to life in prison However the distrust toward the trial process gave birth to a number of conspiracy theories Some experts and politicians argue that their assassination was masterminded by Kocharyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan Others have suspected the possible involvement of foreign powers in the shooting Despite his mixed legacy Sargsyan is now widely recognized as a national hero across the political spectrum and by the public Given the honorific Sparapet he made significant contributions to the establishment of Armenia as independent state and ensuring its security as the founder of the Armenian Army 5 He has also been criticized by human rights organizations for being undemocratic especially for his role in elections Sargsyan was awarded the highest titles of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh National Hero of Armenia and Hero of Artsakh Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Nagorno Karabakh conflict 2 1 Early stages and independence of Armenia 2 2 Active military involvement 2 2 1 Armenian military victory 3 Minister of Defence and president change 3 1 A power minister 1995 96 elections 3 2 Leadership split Ter Petrosyan s resignation 3 3 1998 election Kocharyan as president 4 Rise in power 4 1 Politicization of Yerkrapah 4 2 Alliance with Demirchyan 4 3 1999 parliamentary election 5 Prime Minister 5 1 Economic policy 5 2 Notable events 6 Assassination 6 1 Shooting and funeral 6 2 Investigation and conspiracy theories 6 2 1 Allegations of foreign involvement 6 3 Aftermath 7 Personal life and brothers 8 Legacy and tribute 8 1 Public image and recognition 8 2 Criticism 9 See also 10 References 10 1 Bibliography 11 External linksEarly life and career editVazgen Sargsyan was born in Ararat village Soviet Armenia near the Turkish border on 5 March 1959 to Greta and Zaven Sargsyan 6 7 His ancestors had moved to Ararat from Maku northern Iran following the Russo Persian War of 1826 28 8 9 10 After finishing secondary school in his village he attended the Yerevan Institute of Physical Culture from 1976 to 1979 He worked as a physical education teacher at the secondary school in Ararat from 1979 to 1983 Therefore he was exempt from conscription in the Soviet army From 1983 to 1986 he was the Young Communist League Komsomol leader at the Ararat Cement Factory 6 11 An amateur writer Sargsyan developed a literary and active social life He wrote his first novel in 1980 12 and became a member of the Writers Union of Armenia in 1985 12 From 1986 to 1989 he headed the publicity department of the Garun Գարուն Spring literary monthly in Yerevan 11 In 1986 his first book Hatsi pordzutyun Հացի փորձություն Bread temptation was published for which he was awarded by the Armenian Komsomol 12 A number of his works were published in journals However his literary career did not last long and ended in the late 1980s 13 Nagorno Karabakh conflict editSee also Nagorno Karabakh conflict Early stages and independence of Armenia edit The relative democratization of the Soviet regime under Mikhail Gorbachev s glasnost and perestroika policies since the mid 1980s gave rise to nationalism in the republics of the Soviet Union In Armenia the Karabakh movement gained widespread public support Armenians demanded the Soviet authorities unify the mostly Armenian populated Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast NKAO of Azerbaijan with Armenia In February 1988 the NKAO regional legislature requested the transfer of the region from the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan SSR to Armenian SSR but it was rejected by the Politburo Tensions between Armenians and Azerbaijanis further escalated with the pogrom in Sumgait 14 With both groups arming themselves clashes became frequent especially in the disputed Nagorno Karabakh and the border areas of the two Soviet republics In 1989 and 1990 Sargsyan took the command of Armenian volunteer groups fighting near Yeraskh on the Armenian Azerbaijani Nakhchivan border not far from his hometown 15 By January 1990 he became part of the leadership of the Pan Armenian National Movement 16 Sargsyan was elected to the Armenian parliament the Supreme Council in the May 1990 election 6 He served as the head of the Supreme Council Commission on Defense and Internal Affairs until December 1991 6 With his initiative the Special Regiment was established in September 1990 Composed of 26 platoons and a total of 2 300 men it was the first formal Armenian military unit independent from Moscow It became the main base of the Armenian army in the following years 17 nbsp Armenian soldiers in Karabakh early 1990s By 1991 most Armenians from Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis from Armenia were forced to move to their respective countries as remaining in their homes became nearly impossible 18 Although Armenia had proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union on 23 August 1990 it was not until on 21 September 1991 a month after the failed August Coup in Moscow when the overwhelming majority of Armenians voted for the independence in a nationwide referendum Levon Ter Petrosyan the leader of the Karabakh Committee and the head of the Supreme Council since 1990 was elected president of Armenia in October 19 Active military involvement edit Further information First Nagorno Karabakh War Due to the fact that Sargsyan was popular among Armenian volunteer units and army officers 20 he was appointed the first Defense Minister of independent Armenia by President Ter Petrosyan in December 1991 6 21 On 28 January 1992 the Armenian government passed the historical decree On the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia which formally created the Armed Forces of Armenia 22 23 With the rise of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh in March 1992 Sargsyan announced that Armenia needed a 30 000 strong army for maintaining security 24 On 9 May 1992 the Armenian forces recorded their first major military success in Nagorno Karabakh with the capture of Shusha Another significant victory for the Armenian forces was recorded weeks later with the capture of Lachin 25 which connects Armenia proper with Nagorno Karabakh 26 In summer 1992 the situation turned critical for the Armenian forces following the launch of Operation Goranboy during which Azerbaijan took control of northern half of Nagorno Karabakh 27 On 15 August 1992 Sargsyan called on Armenian men to gather and form a volunteer unit to fight against the advancing Azerbaijani forces in the northern parts of Nagorno Karabakh In a televised speech he stated If 10 15 men from every district of Armenia come together we can form a battalion of 500 This battalion must fight in the most dangerous areas where the chance of survival is 50 50 Together we will go fight in the most difficult parts and we will win Because in reality nothing has changed the enemy is the same enemy which was escaping and we are the same It s just that we have lost the faith in our power Now we need another attack and we must do it with the old guys to stimulate others in the army If the day after tomorrow we will be able to establish a battalion of 500 volunteers then we will fight and we will win 15 The battalion Sargsyan called for named Artsiv mahapartner Արծիվ մահապարտներ Eagles Sentenced to Death 28 was formed on 30 August 1992 17 Under the command of Major General Astvatsatur Petrosyan 29 it defeated the Azerbaijani forces near the Gandzasar monastery and Chldran village in Martakert Province on 31 August and 1 September 1992 respectively 30 According to the Armenian Defense Ministry the battalion s activity stopped the advancement of the Azerbaijani forces and turned the course of the war in favor of the Armenian side in the part of the region 17 Armenian military victory edit nbsp The 1994 ceasefire ended the First Nagorno Karabakh War with the Armenian forces establishing de facto control on the disputed area Between October 1992 and March 1993 Sargsyan served as the Presidential Adviser on Defence Affairs and the Presidential Envoy to Border Regions of Armenia Subsequently he was appointed the State Minister on Defence Security and Internal Affairs 6 11 In these positions Sargsyan had a major role in the advance of the Armenian army With other key commanders he regulated the operations to the Armenian forces in Nagorno Karabakh 31 He was particularly active in unifying the various semi independent detachments active in the war zone 32 Political chaos in Azerbaijan and the demoralization of the Azerbaijani army resulted in the Armenian forces taking control over the territories outside of the original Soviet drawn borders of Nagorno Karabakh In 1993 Sargsyan founded and led Yerkrapah a union of 5 000 war veterans that had a great influence in Armenia s domestic politics in the post war years and became the main base for Vazgen Sargsyan to rise in power 33 In early April 1993 the Armenian forces captured Kelbajar a city outside the originally contested areas causing international attention to the conflict Turkey closed its border with Armenia while the United Nations passed a resolution condemning the act 34 In the summer of 1993 Armenian forces gained more territories and by August controlled Fizuli Jebrail and Zangelan 35 By early 1994 both countries were devastated by the war On 5 May the Bishkek Protocol was signed by the heads of the parliaments of Nagorno Karabakh Armenia and Azerbaijan The Nagorno Karabakh Republic backed by Armenia established de facto control of these lands Nagorno Karabakh also known as Artsakh to Armenians remains internationally unrecognized and a de jure part of Azerbaijan However it is in de facto unified with Armenia 36 37 Minister of Defence and president change editSargsyan was appointed Minister of Defence by Ter Petrosyan on 26 July 1995 during the restructuring of government ministries He remained in that position for almost four years 11 The Armenian army was highly regarded by experts with Armenia being described as the only former Soviet state that managed to build a combat capable army from scratch and was comparable in efficiency to the Soviet Army 38 According to Thomas de Waal the army was the most powerful institution in Armenia under him 2 Sargsyan is credited with substantially professionalizing the Armenian army 39 Sargsyan showed strong confidence in the army and stated in 1997 that its strength has doubled in the past two years 40 In the same year in response to Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev s statements that Azerbaijan was ready to solve the Karabakh problem by force Sargsyan replied Let him do it We are ready 41 Sargsyan s term as Minister of Defence was marked by cooperation with Russia and Greece 42 43 Sargsyan had close connections with the Russian military elite especially Defense Minister Pavel Grachev 44 According to the Jamestown Foundation he pursued a military diplomacy with Greece Cyprus Syria Iran and Bulgaria for a pro Russian alliance 45 A power minister 1995 96 elections edit nbsp The Armenian Armed Forces headed by Vazgen Sargsyan significantly influenced the outcome of four elections from 1995 to 1999 45 Sargsyan became a key figure in post war Armenia due to the fact that he was indisputably supported by the army the only well established institution in Armenia 46 He was described as an eminence grise of the Armenian politics 47 deciding many personnel appointments and dismissals 46 In the aftermath of the war which was accompanied by a harsh economic crisis in Armenia President Ter Petrosyan became unpopular His authoritarian rule the banning of the major opposition party Armenian Revolutionary Federation in 1994 and the arrest of its leaders 48 49 made him highly dependent on the power structures which included the ministries of defence headed by Sargsyan interior Vano Siradeghyan and national security Serzh Sargsyan 50 In July 1995 Vazgen Sargsyan helped Ter Petrosyan s Pan Armenian National Movement PANM win the parliamentary election and pass the constitutional referendum that gave the president more powers in appointing and dismissing key judicial and legislative officials 49 51 They were marred with major electoral violations 48 49 Sargsyan s impact on Ter Petrosyan s presidency became more evident during the 1996 presidential election and the subsequent developments A few days before the election Sargsyan stated his support for Ter Petrosyan stating that Armenia will enter the 21st century victoriously and stable with Ter Petrosyan as president 52 According to the Caucasian Regional Studies Sargsyan turned off the voters from Ter Petrosyan and caused irritation and antipathy in 28 6 of the people according to a poll 53 The election held on 22 September was largely criticized by observation and monitoring organizations 50 54 that found serious violations of the election law 49 Official results which recorded Ter Petrosyan s victory in the first round with just above 50 of the total vote in his favor 55 were denounced by opposition candidate Vazgen Manukyan who had officially received 41 of the vote Manukyan began demonstrations claiming electoral fraud by Ter Petrosyan s supporters The protests culminated on 25 September when Manukyan led thousands of his supporters to the parliament building on Baghramyan Avenue where the Electoral Commission was located at the time Later during the day the protesters broke the fence surrounding the parliament and entered the building They beat up the parliament speaker Babken Ararktsyan and vice speaker Ara Sahakyan 56 In response Vazgen Sargsyan stated that even if they the opposition win 100 percent of the votes neither the Army nor the National Security and Interior Ministry would recognize such political leaders He was later criticized by human rights organizations for this statement 57 State security forces tanks and troops were deployed in Yerevan to restore order and to enforce the ban on rallies and demonstrations on 26 September 58 Sargsyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan announced that their respective agencies had prevented an attempted coup d etat 59 According to Astourian in the crackdown Vazgen Sargsyan intervened with an armed detachment and ordered the soldiers and the police to shoot at the legs of the demonstrators Sargsian himself actually participated in the shooting 59 According to Freedom House Sargsyan was allegedly involved in beating and seriously injuring Ruben Rubik Hakobyan an MP from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ARF after he was arrested during the demonstrations 60 Leadership split Ter Petrosyan s resignation edit In 1997 the OSCE Minsk Group co chaired by Russia the United States and France pressured Armenia and Azerbaijan to agree on the final status of Nagorno Karabakh In September Ter Petrosyan stated his support of the step by step proposal which included the return of the territories outside the NKAO borders 61 Ter Petrosyan argued the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and therefore the opening of the border with Turkey was the only way to significantly improve Armenia s economy 61 After the plan was publicized he came up against strong opposition The issue was important to the Armenians because of historical and psychological factors After having been losing territories for centuries the Armenians are reluctant to lose Karabakh now that they have won a war against Azerbaijan 62 According to political scientist Vicken Cheterian By calling for major concessions on Karabakh Ter Petrosyan was antagonizing the last forces that supported his rule the army and the Karabakh elite at a time when his popularity within the Armenian society was at its lowest 63 The Nagorno Karabakh Republic leadership the Armenian intelligentsia and the diaspora the opposition also expressed their opposition to the president s support for the proposed settlement plan 63 64 4 65 66 Vazgen Sargsyan who quickly denounced the proposal became the de facto leader of the opposing group within the government 67 4 He was joined by the two Karabakh Armenians in the government Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan and Interior and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan These three politicians were referred to as hardliners in the Western media for their perceived nationalistic stance 68 69 They argued that Armenia should try to improve its economic performance while Ter Petrosyan insisted that Armenia could only achieve marginal improvements insufficient to address the fear of relative decline and economic exclusion 65 The Kocharyan cabinet where Vazgen Sargsyan was a leading figure called for a package deal involving a single framework accord on all contentious issues 62 On 21 October 1997 ten members of the Republic bloc in the parliament left the faction and shifted their support to Vazgen Sargsyan Ter Petrosyan s bloc in the parliament was left with a majority of two seats 67 Despite the great public and political opposition the Pan Armenian National Movement voted in favor of Ter Petrosyan s foreign policy 70 nbsp Vazgen Sargsyan and other hard liners forced President Levon Ter Petrosyan to resign in 1998 During the National Security Council meeting on 7 8 January 1998 it became clear that Ter Petrosyan did not have enough support to continue his reign as president 71 72 On 23 January 1998 during the peak of the crisis Vazgen Sargsyan declared his unconditional support to Robert Kocharyan 73 and blamed the Pan Armenian National Movement for trying to destabilize Armenia Sargsyan also guaranteed that the Armenian army will not intervene in the political struggle 74 Ter Petrosyan announced his resignation on 3 February 1998 75 According to Michael P Croissant it was Vazgen Sargsyan who played ultimately the principal role in inducting the president s resignation 71 In his resignation statement Ter Petrosyan referred to Vazgen Sargsyan Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan as the well known body of power He cited the threat of destabilization of the country as the reason of his resignation 76 Ter Petrosyan s resignation was followed by the resignation of National Assembly speaker Babken Ararktsyan his two deputies Mayor of Yerevan Vano Siradeghyan Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Arzoumanian and others 71 77 73 A significant change occurred in the National Assembly Dozens of members of the parliamentary faction called the Republican Bloc mostly made up of Ter Petrosyan s Pan Armenian National Movement joined Vazgen Sargsyan s Yerkrapah bloc making it the largest parliamentary bloc with 69 members compared to only 56 for the Republic 78 71 After Ter Petrosyan s resignation Prime Minister Kocharyan became acting president 62 79 On 5 February 1998 Sargsyan denied the claims of a coup d etat and said that Ter Petrosyan s resignation was rather sad but natural Sargsyan claimed that the president s move surprised him and that he had been seeking common grounds with the president for the past three months He added the only step I achieved on the Karabakh issue was the suggestion that the situation be frozen 80 Almost a year after Ter Petrosyan s resignation Vazgen Sargsyan stated at the Republican Party convention that he respects and appreciates Ter Petrosyan and described him as a wise and a moral man and politician Sargsyan insisted that the question of political responsibility was the main reason behind his resignation and stated that if Ter Petrosyan had decided not to resign no one could have removed him and that Sargsyan would have resigned as defence minister instead 81 Commenting on the circumstances of his resignation in 2021 Ter Petrosyan insisted that Vazgen Sargsyan and Kocharyan were ready for civil war if he did not resign 82 1998 election Kocharyan as president edit nbsp With the support of Vazgen Sargsyan Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan was elected president in 1998 Sargsyan along with Interior Minister Serzh Sargsyan openly supported Kocharyan and used his influence for his election in March 83 84 He called Kocharyan a man of unity of word and action and stated that his experience in Karabakh and Armenia shows that he is capable of solving economic problems also 85 Kocharyan s main opponent was Karen Demirchyan the leader of Soviet Armenia from 1974 to 1988 Sargsyan praised Kocharyan for being part of the struggle of the Armenian people and criticized Demirchyan for not being part of it 85 No candidate gained more than half of the votes in the first round while in the second round of the election held on 30 March Kocharyan won 58 9 of the vote The British Helsinki Human Rights Group suggests that ordinary Armenians turned to Robert Kocharian as someone untainted by mafia connections and the intrigues of Yerevan politics 83 The OSCE observation mission described the first round as deeply flawed 86 while their final report stated that the mission found serious flaws and that the election did not meet the OSCE standards 87 Although Demirchyan didn t officially dispute the election results he never accepted them and did not congratulate Kocharyan 88 45 After the election however Sargsyan suggested Kocharyan appoint Demirchyan prime minister to decrease the tensions in the political scene 88 Even after becoming president Kocharyan did not have any significant institutional support e g a party control of the army a source of money and remained in a fundamental sense an outsider in Yerevan 89 Kocharyan had a more tough position on the Karabakh settlement issue than Ter Petrosyan 90 79 He also urged the international community to recognize the Armenian genocide something on which his predecessor did not place importance 91 In response Turkey and Azerbaijan tightened their cooperation in isolating Armenia from regional projects 90 Kocharyan did not put pressure on the Nagorno Karabakh leadership to concede territory to Azerbaijan He was supported by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation which was allowed to actively operate after Ter Petrosyan s resignation a month before the election 4 71 Rise in power edit From the very beginning there was a wrong impression that Yerkrapah can do nothing but fight however time has shown that Yerkrapah can not only perform feats on battlefields but also have a say in peaceful development Vazgen Sargsyan May 1999 92 Politicization of Yerkrapah edit By 1998 Vazgen Sargsyan became the power behind the throne 93 as the Yerkrapah faction made up of war veterans loyal to him was the single largest faction in the Armenian parliament 94 following Ter Petrosyan s resignation in February 1998 95 Yerkrapah was merged with the Republican Party of Armenia a minor party with an ideology similar to that of Yerkrapah 96 in summer 1998 taking the party s name and its legal status 97 98 Though Sargsyan was not the chairman of the Republican Party he was considered its unofficial leader 99 The relations between Sargsyan and Kocharyan deteriorated after the presidential election with Sargsyan casting around for partners unconnected with or downright opposed to the president 100 Within several months three assassinations of top officials took place that spread rumors in Armenia that relations between Sargsyan and Kocharyan were not normal 101 In August 1998 Armenia s Prosecutor General Henrik Khachatryan a close friend of Kocharyan was murdered in his office in murky circumstances 102 103 In December 1998 Deputy Minister of Defence Vahram Khorkhoruni was murdered for equally mysterious motives while in February 1999 Deputy Minister of the Interior Artsrun Margaryan was murdered 104 105 Vazgen Sargsyan and National Security and Interior Minister Serzh Sargsyan Kocharyan s close ally were also perceived to be at odds 106 Alliance with Demirchyan edit It was initially announced that the Republican Party would go to the parliamentary election alone and would seek qualitative majority in the parliament and that their goal was the fairness of the electoral process 107 Surprisingly for many on 30 March 1999 Vazgen Sargsyan and the runner up of the 1998 presidential election and Armenia s ex communist leader Karen Demirchyan issued a joint announcement that they were forming an alliance between the People s Party of Armenia and the Republican Party 48 108 It came to be known as the Unity bloc Miasnutyun dashink often referred to as Miasnutyun 88 Vazgen Sargsyan claimed the bloc was a genuine alliance and that the two parties had come together to lead Armenia from a turning point to progress 108 When asked about the reasons why he joined Demirchyan Sargsyan said that there is no other way out 92 According to the U S Helsinki Commission Sargsyan obviously concluded it was better to have the popular Demirchyan as an ally than an opponent and that in forming Unity bloc Sargsyan and Demirchyan overcame whatever ideological differences they may have had and said they had joined forces to overcome the difficult problems facing Armenia while promoting tolerance in the country s political life 88 In analyst Richard Giragosian s words the bloc was an odd mix however he admitted that it effectively marginalized the electoral threat of other parties 109 Sociologist Levon Baghdasaryan described it as unification of the new and old nomenklaturas 95 The British Helsinki Human Rights Group wrote of the Unity bloc that it aimed to appeal to the electorate by being all things to all men 100 The ODIHR suggested that the alliance was not only created for electoral purposes but that a strategic political agreement had been reached while overcoming ideological differences 110 1999 parliamentary election edit See also 1999 Armenian parliamentary election nbsp Karen Demirchyan left and Vazgen Sargsyan right during the election campaign of the Unity bloc in May 1999 During the campaign Sargsyan pledged that he would spare no effort to make sure the elections were free and fair 111 Sargsyan and Demirchyan put the emphasis of their campaign on the economy and the improvement of the life of ordinary Armenians Talking about Yerkrapah now politically transformed into the Republican Party Sargsyan said he was confident that the people that gained victory on the battlefield will also gain victory in economy He expressed his optimism saying that they were sure that they will jointly change something and find the right course 92 The Unity bloc called broadly for a democratic society rule of law economic reforms and a market economy with the state also creating conditions for the normal functioning of state enterprises and ensuring decent living standards for all 112 Throughout the campaign the Unity bloc was widely considered the favorite of the election 112 47 113 Opposition newspaper Hayots ashkharh suggested that most other political parties in Armenia were gravitating towards the opposite pole around Kocharyan National Security amp Interior Minister Serzh Sargsyan and the leadership of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic 95 The parliamentary election took place on 30 May 1999 just two months after Sargsyan s and Demirchyan s announcement about their decision to form an alliance The Unity bloc won over 41 5 of the popular vote 114 and took 62 of the 131 seats in the National Assembly 115 The alliance established an effective majority with cooperating with a group of 25 independent and officially non affiliated members of the parliament sympathetic to the Sargsyan Demirchyan coalition 116 45 The electoral process generally showed an improvement over the previous flawed elections but ODIHR said they were not an adequate basis for comparison 117 ODIHR s final report described the election as a step towards compliance with OSCE Commitments and claimed that along with improvements to the electoral framework and the political environment serious issues remained 118 The Council of Europe also suggested considerable improvement from the past elections The National Democratic Institute report was more critical saying it failed to meet international standards and that it proved to be the continuation of the flawed 1995 parliamentary elections differing only in the methods and types of manipulation 119 Prime Minister editAt the Republican Party convention in January 1999 Sargsyan stated his desire in remaining in the position of Minister of Defence 81 After the election speculations arose about Sargsyan wanting to combine the positions of Defence Minister and Prime Minister however this was impossible according to the Armenian constitution 120 On 11 June 1999 he became Prime Minister of Armenia 102 89 while Unity bloc co chairman Karen Demirchyan was elected speaker of the National Assembly 121 Many experts suggest that Sargsyan as prime minister was the most powerful politician in Armenia 122 45 while others suggest that he had become Armenia s strongest politician long before that 123 124 According to Mark Grigorian his activities had began to overshadow Kocharyan 125 Despite Kocharyan s formal welcome of their alliance the president was effectively weakened 89 and was being sidelined 89 Some political analysts suggested that the Sargsyan Demirchyan alliance ultimately would bring about the resignation of Kocharyan 126 127 Vazgen Manukyan stated that Kocharyan would end up like the Queen of England 100 Despite no longer being the Minister of Defence Vazgen Sargsyan remained the de facto leader of the army 4 as a close ally Vagharshak Harutiunyan replaced him 128 According to Styopa Safaryan an analyst and former member of the Armenian parliament despite his mixed legacy under Vazgen Sargsyan Armenia became increasingly independent 129 Today the economic development of Armenia is as important as victory in the war was yesterday Our battle has moved from the field of blood and heroism to the economic field Vazgen Sargsyan Armenia Diaspora Conference 23 September 1999 130 Economic policy edit At the time of Sargsyan s Prime Ministry Armenia had not yet recovered from the economic effects of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the energy crisis in Armenia during the Nagorno Karabakh War 90 unreliable source One of the major issues Sargsyan faces was mass emigration from Armenia which started at the period of the decline of the Soviet regime 131 The 1998 Russian financial crisis worsened the situation 132 and showed a decline in human development 133 In his first address to the parliament as prime minister on 18 June Sarsgyan described Armenia s economic situation as grave The budget revenues were almost 20 lower than the government had planned because of the low level of tax collection and the high level of corruption in the Armenian economy Although Sargsyan criticized the post Soviet privatization by the Ter Petrosyan government he admitted Armenia had no alternative and that his government had an enormous amount of work to do 134 132 In his speech on 28 July Sargsyan described the economic situation in Armenia as extremely difficult but not hopeless According to him the first half of 1999 saw 61 million less in the budged revenues than planned by the Darbinyan government He said that tax evasion played a role in the budget deficit 132 Despite being criticized by the opposition especially the National Democratic Union the Unity bloc voted in favor 96 of the 131 MPs of the austerity measures of the Sargsyan cabinet on 28 August allowing Armenia to take loans from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund IMF The World Bank alone had loaned almost 0 5 billion to Armenia since 1992 to finance the budget deficits 116 The Sargsyan cabinet wanted to diversify 32 million in the budget funds to be able to repay the internal debts For this purpose the excise tax was raised on cigarettes by 200 and on gasoline by 45 seriously hitting the middle class 132 Sargsyan described these as painful but right steps for getting the necessary amount of money from the foreign lenders He pledged a tougher crackdown on the shadow economy and more efficient governance 135 National Assembly Speaker Karen Demirchyan called for a greater role of the state in the economy to ensure stability 116 while President Kocharyan was mostly uninvolved in these developments 135 Notable events edit During his Prime Ministry Sargsyan helped to organize three major events On 28 August 1999 the first Pan Armenian Games began in Yerevan Over 1 400 Armenian athletes from 23 countries participated in the games 136 The closing ceremony took place in the Yerevan Sports and Concerts Complex on 5 September with President Robert Kocharyan and Vazgen Sargsyan in attendance 137 Just after the Games which involved thousands of diaspora Armenian youth the preparations for the eighth anniversary of Armenia s independence began 138 On 21 September the anniversary of the day in 1991 when Armenians voted in favor of leaving the Soviet Union in a referendum a military parade was held in Yerevan s Republic Square Vazgen Sargsyan was visibly the most excited of the government leaders standing on a specially built pedestal In a short briefing after the parade Sargsyan enthusiastically stated that he had touched almost every piece of hardware you ve just seen and continued that he just wanted to show it to the Armenian people 139 During the next two days on 22 and 23 September 1999 the first Armenia Diaspora Conference was held in Yerevan The conference brought together the Armenian political elite and many diaspora organizations political parties religious leaders writers and over 1 200 representatives of Armenian communities from 53 countries an unprecedented number 140 141 Vazgen Sargsyan opened the second day of the conference with his speech report about the economic and social situation in Armenia The conference was closed by Sargsyan 142 143 Assassination editShooting and funeral edit See also Armenian parliament shooting nbsp The building of the National Assembly of Armenia On 27 October 1999 at around 5 15 pm 144 145 five assailants Nairi Hunanyan his brother Karen their uncle Vram and two others 146 armed with Kalashnikov rifles hidden under long coats 144 147 broke into the National Assembly building in Yerevan while the government was holding a question and answer session They shot dead Vazgen Sargsyan National Assembly Speaker Karen Demirchyan Deputy National Assembly Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan Minister of Urgent Affairs Leonard Petrosyan and Parliament Members Henrik Abrahamyan Armenak Armenakyan and Mikayel Kotanyan The gunmen injured at least 30 people in the parliament 148 149 The group claimed they were carrying out a coup d etat 150 They described their act as patriotic and needed for the nation to regain its senses 144 They said they wanted to punish the authorities for what they do to the nation and described the government as profiteers sucking the blood of the people 151 They claimed Armenia was in a catastrophic situation and that corrupt officials were not doing anything to provide the way out 149 151 Vazgen Sargsyan was the main target of the group 45 and the other deaths were said to be unintended 151 According to reporters who witnessed the shooting the men went up to Sargsyan and said Enough of drinking our blood to which Sargsyan calmly responded Everything is being done for you and the future of your children 151 Vazgen Sargsyan was hit several times 152 Anna Israelyan an eyewitness journalist stated that the first shots were fired directly at Vazgen Sargsyan at a distance of one to two meters and in her words it was impossible that he would have survived 145 Sargsyan s body was taken out of the parliament building on the evening of 27 October 148 With policemen army troops armed with APCs surrounding the building 144 President Kocharyan gave a speech on TV announcing that the situation was under control 152 The gunmen released the hostages after overnight negotiations with President Kocharyan and gave themselves up on the morning of 28 October after a standoff 150 that lasted 17 18 hours 153 154 On 28 October President Kocharyan declared a three day mourning period 155 The state funeral ceremony for the victims of the parliament shooting took place from 30 to 31 October 1999 The bodies of the victims including Vazgen Sargsyan were placed inside the Yerevan Opera Theater 156 157 A number of high ranking officials from some 30 countries including Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze attended the funeral Karekin II the Catholicos of All Armenians and Aram I the Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia gave prayers 158 Investigation and conspiracy theories edit The five men were charged with terrorism aimed at undermining authority on 29 October 147 The investigation was led by Gagik Jhangiryan the chief military prosecutor of Armenia who claimed his team was looking for the masterminds of the shooting even after the trial had begun 159 According to Jhangiryan the investigating team considered more than a dozen theories 160 By January 2000 Jhangiryan s investigators considered the connection of Kocharyan and his circle to the parliament shooting 161 Several figures close to Kocharyan were arrested including Aleksan Harutiunyan the deputy presidential adviser and Harutiun Harutiunyan the deputy director of the Public Television of Armenia but they were released by the summer of that year 154 Eventually Jhangiryan failed to find evidence linking Kocharyan to the shooting 154 The trial began in February 2001 162 and eventually the five main perpetrators of the shooting Nairi Hunanyan his younger brother Karen Hunanyan their uncle Vram Galstyan Derenik Ejanyan and Eduard Grigoryan were sentenced to life in prison on 2 December 2003 163 nbsp Armenia s former president Serzh Sargsyan was the National Security Minister at the time of the shooting A number of conspiracy theories developed about possible motives and architects behind the attack 164 165 Stepan Demirchyan Karen Demirchyan s son stated in 2009 that nothing was done by the authorities to prevent that crime and conversely everything was done to cover up the crime 166 In March 2013 Vazgen Sargsyan s younger brother Aram stated he had many questions for both governments of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan He claimed the judicial process of 27 October had deepened the public distrust in the authorities as many questions remain unanswered today According to him the full disclosure of the shooting is vital for Armenia Sargsyan insisted that he never accused this or the former authorities of being responsible for 27 October I have accused them of not fully disclosing the 27 October event 167 In an April 2013 interview Karen Demirchyan s widow Rita suggested the shooting was ordered from outside Armenia and was not an attempt at a coup but rather an assassination 168 Although the investigation did not find any considerable evidence linking Kocharyan to the Hunanyan group many Armenian politicians and analysts believe that President Robert Kocharyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan were behind the assassination of Vazgen Sargsyan and other leading politicians 126 166 169 170 171 Former mayor of Yerevan Albert Bazeyan stated in 2002 that We have come to the conclusion that the crime was aimed at making Robert Kocharian s power unlimited and uncontrolled By physically eliminating Karen Demirchyan and Vazgen Sargsyan its organizers wanted to create prerequisites for Kocharyan s victory in the future presidential elections 124 Levon Ter Petrosyan accused Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan and their criminal oligarchic system of being the real perpetrators of the parliament shooting 166 Nairi Hunanyan the leader of the armed group was a former member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ARF Dashnaktsutyun 123 According to the ARF Hunanyan was expelled from the party in 1992 for misconduct 146 and had not been in any association with the ARF since then 45 Some speculations have been made about the involvement of the ARF in the shootings In 2000 Ashot Manucharyan stated he was worried that a number of Dashnaktsutyun party leaders are acting in the interest of the American foreign policy 172 Allegations of foreign involvement edit Some analysts have suggested that foreign powers including Russia may have been behind the shooting They pointed out the fact that Armenia and Azerbaijan were close in signing some kind of an agreement at the OSCE 1999 Istanbul summit over Karabakh something not in Russia s interest 171 173 Russian secret service defector Alexander Litvinenko accused the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation of having organised the Armenian parliament shooting ostensibly to derail the peace process which would have resolved the Nagorno Karabakh conflict but he offered no evidence to support the accusation 174 175 176 Russian and Armenian officials denied this claims 169 177 The French based Armenian political refugee and former Apostolic priest Artsruni Avetisysan also known by his religious name Ter Girgor gave an interview to Armenian media network A1plus in which he claimed the Russian secret services were behind the 27 October 1999 shooting 178 He also claimed the shooting was perpetrated by Lieutenant General Vahan Shirkhanyan the Deputy Minister of Defense from 1992 to 1999 and the National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan He insisted the shooting was assisted by the Russian secret services to bring the Neo Bolshevik criminal clan of Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan into power 179 Others suggested that it was in the best interest of the West to remove Sargsyan and Demirchyan from the political scene as they had close ties to Russia 171 Ashot Manucharyan one of the leading members of the Karabakh Committee the former Minister of Internal Affairs and Ter Petrosyan s National Security Adviser and his close ally until 1993 stated in October 2000 that Armenian officials were warned by a foreign country about the shootings He also declared that Western special services were involved in 27 October events In Manucharyan s words the special services of the U S and France are acting to destroy Armenia and in this context they are much likely to be involved in the realization of the terrorist acts in Armenia 172 Manucharyan claimed the shooting was planned by Kocharyan to get rid of his two major rivals Sargsyan and Demirchyan who were against the Goble plan involving territorial concessions to Azerbaijan 180 Aftermath edit Just after the shooting the Interior and National Security Ministers Suren Abrahamyan and Serzh Sargsyan resigned as a result of pressure from the Defence Ministry led by Sargsyan s ally Vagharshak Harutiunyan at the time 147 181 182 From early June to late October 1999 the political system in Armenia was based on the Demirchyan Sargsyan tandem which controlled the military the legislative and the executive branches The assassinations disrupted the political balance in the country and the political arena of Armenia was left in disarray for months 48 The de facto dual command of Sargsyan and Demirchyan was transferred to President Robert Kocharyan 183 James R Hughes claims that the so called Karabakh clan i e Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan was kept in check by Vazgen Sargsyan and his military security apparatus while after the parliament shooting it came to be the sole influential group able to successfully take over the political scene in Armenia 91 Since the leaders of the Unity bloc were assassinated the two parties in the alliance the Republican Party of Armenia and the People s Party of Armenia gradually ceased collaborating and by late 2000 the Unity bloc collapsed 184 Yerkrapah the Republican Party and the People s Party effectively lost their influence by 2001 91 Personal life and brothers editSargsyan never married According to Razmik Martirosyan a friend and the Minister of Social Security from 1999 to 2003 Sargsyan promised in December 1987 that he would marry sometime before 8 March of the next year but did not because the Karabakh movement started in February 185 In a 1997 interview Sargsyan revealed that his favorite historical military figure was Charles de Gaulle When asked about what kind of Armenia he would like to see in five years he said an independent self sufficient country with strong culture school and army 15 nbsp Aram Sargsyan Vazgen Sargsyan s brother Sargsyan had two younger brothers Aram and Armen Aram was appointed Prime Minister by President Kocharyan on 3 November 1999 186 a week after Vazgen Sargsyan s death largely as a political gesture 187 He admitted that Armenia has no concept of state security and that fact led to the assassination of his brother 188 Aram Sargsyan served in the position of the Prime Minister for only six months He was dismissed by Kocharyan on 2 May 2000 189 due to inability to work with Sargsyan s cabinet 190 191 In his television statement Kocharyan claimed that he relieved Aram Sargsyan to end the disarray in the Armenian leadership Kocharyan blamed him for being involved in political games 192 Aram Sargsyan founded the Hanrapetutyun Party in April 2001 along with several influential Yerkrapah members such as the former Mayor of Yerevan Albert Bazeyan and former Defence Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan Its co founder Bazeyan stated that the party is the bearer of the political heritage of Vazgen Sargsian and will try to realize the programs aborted by the October 27 crime and its consequences 193 The party backed up Stepan Demirchyan against Kocharyan in 2003 194 and Levon Ter Petrosyan against Serzh Sargsyan in the 2008 presidential elections 187 In a 2013 interview Aram Sargsyan talked about the past 14 years after his brother s death If things were done as Vazgen Sargsyan wanted I would not be in opposition and I would do everything I could to make his wishes come true Today I m fighting for his wishes to be realized His wishes were very simple He wanted to see a strong Armenia Vazgen was an optimist and he spread hope honesty dedication love for the fatherland The president after Vazgen did the opposite He only saw materialism and selfishness in people and encouraging those values he remained in power thus polluting the country 167 Vazgen Sargsyan s other brother Armen supported Serzh Sargsyan in the 2013 presidential election 195 196 On 5 March 2013 Aram Sargsyan was asked about his brother Armen s political stance to which he responded I would very much like to ask Vazgen that question I don t know what he would have answered There are very few questions to which I don t know what Vazgen s answer would be Unfortunately our friends and relatives are not always the way we want them to be I am not the first one neither am I the last one the history of the world is full of such examples starting from the Bible 197 Legacy and tribute edit nbsp Vazgen Sargsyan s memorial in Yerablur nbsp Statue of Sargsyan in Yerevan Vazgen Sargsyan was awarded the title Hero of Artsakh the highest award of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in 1998 12 On 27 December 1999 two months after the parliament shooting Sargsyan was posthumously given the title National Hero of Armenia 198 He widely is recognized as the founder of the Armenian army 199 200 201 A presidential decree issued on 28 December 1999 renamed the Yerevan Military Academy to the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University in his honor 202 The Republican Stadium in Yerevan was named after Vazgen Sargsyan by the same decree The 8th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Artsakh Defence Army is named after him 203 Numerous streets in Armenia and Karabakh 11 including one in Yerevan s Kentron Central district 204 and in Stepanakert 205 and a park in Kapan 206 are named after Sargsyan Statues or busts have been erected in his honor in Yerevan 2007 207 Ararat 2009 208 209 Vanadzor 210 Kapan 2015 Vagharshapat Ejmiatsin 2015 Shusha Shushi 211 and other locations In 2000 27 October was declared a day of remembrance by the Armenian government 212 In 2002 the Armenian Defence Ministry created the Medal of Vazgen Sargsyan which is awarded for meritorious services towards military education and improvements in service life 213 nbsp Sargsyan s Museum in Ararat Every year on 5 March his birthday and 27 October the day of his assassination 214 Sargsyan is commemorated in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh His comrades from the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union 215 high state officials and many others visit the Yerablur cemetery where Sargsyan is buried next to many Armenian military figures 216 Vazgen Sargsyan s museum was opened in his hometown of Ararat on 5 March 2001 by the decision made by the Armenian government 217 Notable attendees of the opening ceremony of the museum included Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan National Assembly Speaker Armen Khachatryan Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan and other high ranking military and diplomatic representatives such as the former Russian Minister of Defence Pavel Grachev who revealed in his speech at the ceremony that Sargsyan was once his student 218 Sargsyan is often referred to as Sparapet a military rank that has existed since the ancient Kingdom of Armenia 219 220 The phrase Sparapet Hayots literally meaning Supreme Commander of the Armenians is engraved on Sargsyan s memorial in Yerablur cemetery 221 The song Sparapet by Alla Levonyan is dedicated to his memory 222 Public image and recognition edit The public doesn t really know me Only people in my inner circle know me well Others identify me by the beard always mad sweaty and that is today s image People don t understand me they are scared of me Vazgen Sargsyan 223 224 In Armenia Nagorno Karabakh and to a lesser extent in the Armenian diaspora 221 Vazgen Sargsyan is recognized as a national hero Several survey conducted by Gallup Inc International Republican Institute and the Armenian Sociological Association from 2006 to 2008 revealed that Vazgen Sargsyan topped the list of national heroes in public perception with 15 20 of the respondents giving his name He has often ranked third behind 20th century military commanders Andranik and Garegin Nzhdeh in surveys about the greatest Armenian national heroes 225 Sargsyan is widely considered a charismatic leader 44 226 He was generally perceived as a man of tremendous power and charisma known for his brutality temper and nonchalant attitude toward the law 227 nbsp Sargsyan on a 2000 post stamp His contributions have been acknowledged by his colleagues and comrades In 1997 President Ter Petrosyan stated that Sargsyan is someone who deserves the title of National Hero of Armenia He added that if all members of our government worked as conscientiously and selflessly as Vazgen Sargsyan we would live in a perfect state 228 Armenia s second president Robert Kocharyan said in his speech during Sargsyan s funeral history will provide its assessment of Vazgen Sargsyan as a politician who stood at the birth of the Armenian state His role in the creation of the national army is beyond appraisal By his life and commitment Vazgen Sargsyan has made an immense contribution to the establishment of a powerful country 157 In 2007 giving a speech on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Armed Forces then Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan noted that he was a valiant soldier dedicated to the cause of our statehood and who revered the strength of Armenia and the strength of the Armenian soldier and who had a staunch belief in our future success 229 nbsp Sargsyan s statue in Shusha Shushi vandalized and destroyed after the 2020 war 230 Manvel Grigoryan leader of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union recognized Sargsyan s contributions stating that Sargsyan was a strong individual and his greatness was felt not only during the war but during the nation building years after the war According to Grigoryan his presence was enough for the foreign leaders to become vigilant 231 Dr Ara Sanjian the director of the Armenian Studies at the Haigazian University wrote shortly after Sargsyan s assassination History will rightly remember Vazgen Sargsyan as the founder of the modern Armenian armed forces and one of the chief architects behind the victories in recent years on the Karabagh front Comparisons made in recent days with Vardan Mamikonian and Andranik Ozanian are certainly not exaggerations in the technical sense He seems to have been a personality who never ran away from shouldering the toughest of responsibilities and seemed to end always on the winning side 232 nbsp Vazgen Sargsyan Street in central Yerevan In the West Sargsyan was generally described as a hard nationalist 233 The British journalist Jonathan Steele wrote of Sargsyan as a fierce nationalist who always preferred action and force to words and diplomacy 234 Encyclopaedia Britannica describes Sargsyan as an Armenian nationalist who devoted much of his life to the Armenian fight with Azerbaijan for control of the Nagorno Karabakh enclave 235 Political scientist Razmik Panossian expressed the opinion that he was the last significant nationalist politician whose commitment to Karabakh and Armenia was not doubted by anyone 236 Criticism edit Sargsyan was criticized for being undemocratic particularly for using his influence in pre determining the election results 111 The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe suggested in 1999 that his record does not inspire confidence in his commitment to democracy 237 The 2008 book Religious Freedom in the World described him as thuggish and held him responsible for the 1995 assaults on religious minorities in Armenia especially those that discourage military service 238 carried out allegedly by Yerkrapah 239 Thomas de Waal describes Sargsyan as an emerging feudal baron The Yerkrapah founded by Sargsyan took over large areas of the economy 240 Astourian quoted David Petrosyan a columnist for the Noyan Tapan news agency and a thoughtful observer of Armenia s political life as claiming that Sargsyan controlled part of the local market in oil products part of the incomes generated from transport junctions and the greater part of bread production 241 According to Philip Remler Sargsyan was one of the prime beneficiaries of the illicit income from the Iran Armenia border and the godfather of cross border trade and contraband 242 See also editMilitary history of Armenia Monte MelkonianReferences edit Also spelled Sarkissian Sarkisian Sarkisyan Sargisian a b de Waal 2003 p 257 Corley Felix 29 October 1999 Vazgen Sarkissian The Independent Archived from the original on 16 June 2014 Retrieved 16 June 2014 a b c d e Horowitz Shale 2005 From Ethnic Conflict to Stillborn Reform The Former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia Texas A amp M University Press pp 83 84 ISBN 978 1 60344 593 1 Sarkissian duly became prime minister and appeared to command both the military and a parliamentary majority Armenian Commander Vazgen Sargsyan would have become 53 Armenpress 5 March 2012 Retrieved 16 July 2013 Vazgen Sargsyan had invaluable contribution to the formation of the Armenian Army and State a b c d e f Vazgen Sargsyan Government of the Republic of Armenia Archived from the original on 20 June 2014 Retrieved 30 March 2013 Vazgen was sacred A1plus 5 March 2009 Archived from the original on 21 September 2013 Retrieved 14 April 2013 Sargsyan Aram 13 March 2020 Aram Sargsyan on Facebook Facebook in Armenian Archived from the original on 26 May 2020 Մենք երկուսով մակվեցի ենք Hakobian T Kh Melik Bakhshian St T in Armenian Barseghian H Kh in Armenian 1986 Արարատ Ararat Հայաստանի և հարակից շրջանների տեղանունների բառարան Dictionary of Toponyms of Armenia and Surrounding Regions Volume I in Armenian Yerevan University Press p 394 որոնց նախնիների մի մասն այստեղ է գաղթել Պարսկահայաստանի Մակուի գավ ից 1828 29թթ Արարատ Ararat Հայաստանի Հանրապետության բնակավայրերի բառարան Dictionary of Settlements of the Republic of Armenia PDF in Armenian Yerevan State Committee of Real Estate Cadastre of Armenia 2008 pp 28 29 Archived from the original PDF on 25 April 2020 որոնց նախնիները գաղթել են Մակու գավառից և Սալմաստի Ասլանիկ Դիրիշկ և Զեվաջուկ գյուղերից a b c d e Vazgen Sargsyan Defence Ministry of the Republic of Armenia Archived from the original on 24 February 2008 Retrieved 31 March 2013 a b c d Վազգեն Սարգսյան Vazgen Sargsyan in Armenian Yerkrapah Volunteer Union Website Archived from the original on 2 March 2012 Retrieved 30 March 2013 Վազգեն Սարգսյան գրողը Vazgen Sargsyan the writer in Armenian Yerkrapah Volunteer Union Website Archived from the original on 28 August 2013 Retrieved 30 March 2013 de Waal 2003 pp 10 13 34 a b c Զինվորն ու Սպարապետը The Soldier and the General in Armenian Yerkrapah Volunteer Union Website Archived from the original on 19 May 2018 Retrieved 30 March 2013 Near East amp South Asia Foreign Broadcast Information Service 18 January 1990 p 9 Archived from the original on 1 August 2013 Retrieved 31 March 2013 a b c Արցախյան տարեգրություն 1988թ փետրվար 1994թ մայիս Artsakh Chronicle February 1988 May 1994 in Armenian Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 Retrieved 11 May 2013 Human Rights Watch 1994 Azerbaijan Seven Years of Conflict in Nagorno Karabakh Helsinki p 1 ISBN 1 56432 142 8 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link de Waal 2003 p 161 Zhirokhov Mikhail in Russian 2012 Semena raspada vojny i konflikty na territorii byvshego SSSR Seeds of Collapse Wars and Conflicts in the Former Soviet Union in Russian St Petersburg p 245 ISBN 978 5 9775 0817 9 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Historical Overview Defence Ministry of the Republic of Armenia Retrieved 31 March 2013 The 20th anniversary of our victorious army A1plus 28 January 2012 Retrieved 7 April 2013 Gevorgyan Siranuysh 27 January 2012 Armenian Army turns 20 ArmeniaNow Archived from the original on 26 June 2018 Retrieved 7 April 2013 Joseph Masih Robert O Krikorian 1999 Armenia At the Crossroads Amsterdam Taylor amp Francis p 43 ISBN 978 90 5702 345 3 de Waal 2003 p 183 Croissant 1998 p 80 Eastern Europe Russia and Central Asia London Europa Publications Limited 2002 p 130 ISBN 978 1 85743 137 7 Harutyunyan Harutyun 11 October 2010 The Role of the Armenian Church During Military Conflicts PDF Caucasian Analytical Digest 20 Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Center for Security Studies 8 Retrieved 29 August 2013 Hakobyan Eva 27 September 2012 Եթե պատերազմը կրկնվի նորից կմեկնենք կռվի ու այս անգամ ավելի ջղային Արծիվ մահապարտներ Artsiv mahapartner If a war starts we will go to fight again but more mad than ever Aravot in Armenian Retrieved 7 April 2013 Նշվեց Արծիվ մահապարտների գնդի կազմավորման 15 ամյակը 15th anniversary of the formation of Artsiv mahapartner celebrated in Armenian Public Radio of Armenia 15 August 2007 Archived from the original on 27 October 2020 Retrieved 6 April 2013 According to Gurgen Dalibaltayan the Chief of General Staff between 1991 and 1993 Մենք Կոմանդոսի պատճառով կորցրինք Շահումյանը որը մինչև հիմա Ադրբեջանի ձեռքի տակ է 1in am in Armenian 28 August 2008 Retrieved 6 October 2013 Մենք էինք որոշումներն ընդունում մենք էինք ղեկավարում պատերազմը According to Sasun Mikayelyan hy the commander of Sasun detachment See Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine Հայելու առաջ Ahead of the Mirror 29 30 29 50 in Armenian Yerevan Kentron TV 24 May 2014 Retrieved 16 June 2014 Վազգեն Սարգսյանի դերը մեծ ա եղել էս ջոկատների համախմբման գործում Levitsky Steven Way Lucan A 2010 Competitive Authoritarianism Hybrid Regimes After the Cold War New York Cambridge University Press p 209 ISBN 978 1 139 49148 8 Croissant 1998 p 87 Caucasus City Falls to Armenian Forces The New York Times 24 August 1993 Retrieved 10 April 2013 Hughes amp Sasse 2002 p 211 Cornell Svante 2011 Azerbaijan Since Independence New York M E Sharpe p 135 ISBN 978 0 7656 3004 9 Lehrke Jesse Paul 2013 The Transition to National Armies in the Former Soviet Republics 1988 2005 New York Routledge p 142 ISBN 978 1 135 10886 1 Minasian Liana 4 November 1999 The Role of The Army in Armenia s Politics Institute for War and Peace Reporting Mandelbaum Michael 1998 The new Russian foreign policy New York Council on Foreign Relations p 133 ISBN 978 0 87609 213 2 Armenia Continues Military Cooperation with Russia Greece Asbarez 16 July 1997 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Vazgen Sargssian Leaves for Moscow Asbarez 24 March 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Armenia Greece Sare Concern for Security and Regional Stability Asbarez 17 July 1997 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Mirzoyan Alla 2010 Armenia the Regional Powers and the West Between History and Geopolitics New York Palgrave Macmillan p 32 ISBN 9780230106352 Vazgen Sarkisyan a strong charismatic military commander who enjoyed enormous influence among both the Karabakh and the Armenian military Sarisyan had an excellent working relationship with the Russian defense minister Pavel Grachev a b c d e f g Key Armenian leaders assassinated The Jamestown Foundation 28 October 1999 Archived from the original on 16 June 2014 a b Glazunov Oleg 2006 Gosudarstvennyj perevorot Strategiya i tehnologii Coup d etat Strategy and Technology in Russian Moskva OLMA PRESS Obrazovanie p 132 ISBN 978 5 94849 839 3 a b BHHRG 1999 p 4 a b c d Eastern Europe Russia and Central Asia 2003 Taylor amp Francis 2002 pp 79 80 ISBN 978 1 85743 137 7 a b c d Columbus Frank H 1999 Central and Eastern Europe in transition 3 1999 Commack New York Nova Publishers p 107 ISBN 978 1 56072 687 6 a b Armenia After the 1996 Presidential Elections United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1 March 1997 Archived from the original on 15 June 2013 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Sabahi Farian Warner Daniel 2004 The OSCE and the multiple challenges of transition the Caucasus and the Central Asia Aldershot Ashgate Publishing p 112 ISBN 978 0 7546 3606 9 1996 թվականի սեպտեմբեր The September of 1996 Azg Daily in Armenian 26 September 2002 Retrieved 7 April 2013 Grigorian Mark Armenia s 1996 presidential election coverage in the media Caucasian Regional Studies Vol 2 Issue 1 1997 Caucasian Regional Studies Retrieved 16 July 2013 Armenian Presidential Elections September 24 1996 Final Report Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Retrieved 11 April 2013 Armenians Cast Ballots in Presidential Election The New York Times 23 September 1996 Retrieved 12 April 2013 Astourian 2001 pp 44 45 Human rights watch world report 1997 events of 1996 New York Human Rights Watch 1997 p 198 ISBN 978 1 56432 207 4 Jeffries Ian 2003 The Caucasus and Central Asian Republics at the Turn of the Twenty First Century A guide to the economies in transition New York Routledge p 57 ISBN 978 0 203 35847 4 a b Astourian 2001 p 45 Freedom House 1998 Freedom in the World 1996 1997 PDF New Brunswick and London Transaction Publishers ISBN 1 56000 354 5 Archived from the original PDF on 9 December 2021 a b Hughes amp Sasse 2002 p 153 a b c Danielyan Emil 9 February 1998 Armenia President s Resignation Likely To Cause Policy Changes Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty Retrieved 11 April 2013 a b Cheterian Vicken 2008 War and peace in the Caucasus ethnic conflict and the new geopolitics New York Columbia University p 325 ISBN 978 0 231 70064 1 Astourian 2001 pp 52 53 56 58 a b Grigorian Arman January 2003 Armenia Geopolitical Environment Threats and Opportunities PDF Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Archived from the original PDF on 23 March 2014 Retrieved 5 April 2013 Croissant 1998 pp 121 122 a b Croissant 1998 p 122 Armenia s Turmoil The New York Times 9 February 1998 Retrieved 8 April 2013 Williams Carol J 5 February 1998 Armenian Hard Liners Consolidate Control Los Angeles Times Retrieved 14 April 2013 Astourian 2001 p 56 a b c d e Croissant 1998 p 123 Serious Differences Surface at Security Council Meeting Asbarez 14 January 1998 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Astourian 2001 p 57 Newsline January 26 1998 RFE RL 26 January 1998 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Bransten Jeremy 9 February 1998 Armenia President s Resignation Leads To Political Crisis RFE RL Retrieved 11 April 2013 Statement by President of the Republic of Armenia Levon Ter Petrosian Armenpress 4 February 1998 Retrieved 14 April 2013 International Protection Considerations Regarding Armenian Asylum Seekers and Refugees PDF Geneva United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees September 2003 p 9 Retrieved 31 March 2013 Astourian 2001 p 57 58 a b Hughes amp Sasse 2002 p 154 Vazgen Sargssian Rules Out Military Dictatorship Asbarez 5 February 1998 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Պատրաստ եմ զինվորի պես իմ պարտքը կատարել I m ready to serve my duty as a soldier A1plus in Armenian 5 March 2009 Retrieved 12 April 2013 Վազգեն Սարգսյանը և Ռոբերտ Քոչարյանը պատրաստ էին քաղաքացիական պատերազմի և ես հրաժարական եմ տվել դրանից խուսափելու համար Լևոն Տեր Պետրոսյան տեսանյութ Vazgen Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan were ready for civil war and I resigned in order to avoid that Levon Ter Petrosyan MediaLab Newsroom Laboratory in Armenian 16 May 2021 Retrieved 15 June 2021 a b BHHRG 1999 p 1 Newsline March 23 1998 RFE RL 23 March 1998 Retrieved 11 April 2013 a b Sargssian Says Most Manoukian Voters Will Support Kocharian Asbarez 25 March 1998 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Armenian elections go to run off BBC News 19 March 1998 Retrieved 8 April 2013 Republic of Armenian Presidential Election March 16 and 30 1998 Final Report Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 9 April 1998 Retrieved 8 April 2013 a b c d CSCE 1999 p 5 a b c d CSCE 1999 p 13 a b c After the elections in Armenia World Socialist Web Site 19 July 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b c Hughes amp Sasse 2002 p 155 a b c Sargsyan Campaigns Stresses Veteran Benefits Asbarez 10 May 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Carley Patricia December 1998 Nagorno Karabakh Searching for a Solution United States Institute of Peace Retrieved 21 April 2013 Fuller Liz 12 May 1998 Caucasus Report May 12 1998 RFE RL Retrieved 11 April 2013 a b c Caucasus Report April 7 1999 RFE RL 7 April 1999 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Panossian Razmik 2006 The Armenians From Kings and Priests to Merchants and Commissars New York Columbia University Press p 326 ISBN 9780231511339 Yerkrapah turns into political party The Jamestown Foundation 22 July 1998 Archived from the original on 19 June 2014 Retrieved 21 April 2013 History of the Party The Republican Party of Armenia Retrieved 6 May 2013 Republicans Meet for Party Congress As Elections Approach Asbarez 29 January 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b c BHHRG 1999 p 2 Usher Graham Winter 1999 The Fate of Small Nations The Karabagh Conflict Ten Years Later Middle East Research and Information Project 29 Retrieved 21 April 2013 a b Lea 2001 p 5 Armenia Prosecutor Killed The New York Times 7 August 1998 Retrieved 16 August 2013 Bodyguards Arrested in Markarian Murder Case Asbarez 10 February 1999 Retrieved 21 April 2013 Europe review 2003 04 the economic and business report London Kogan Page 2003 p 16 ISBN 978 0 7494 4067 1 Fuller Liz 26 May 1999 Caucasus Report 26 May 1999 RFE RL Retrieved 11 April 2013 Republicans to Seek Qualitative Majority in Next Parliament Asbarez 25 February 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Sargsyan Demirchian Unveil Election Alliance Asbarez 30 March 1999 Retrieved 10 May 2013 Giragosian 1999 pp 2 3 ODIHR 1999 pp 5 6 a b Vazgen Sargsyan Calls for Strong Defense Asbarez 10 March 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b CSCE 1999 p 6 Armenia Political Changes Set Stage For Fairest Elections Since 1991 RFE RL 9 May 1999 Retrieved 11 April 2013 30 May 1999 Parliamentary proportional Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Armenia Archived from the original on 4 October 2018 Retrieved 17 May 2013 Armenia Parliamentary Chamber Azgayin Joghov Elections held in 1999 Inter Parliamentary Union Retrieved 25 April 2013 and Giragosian 1999 p 2 indicate 62 as the number of seats won by the Unity bloc Other sources indicate different numbers of seats won by the Unity bloc 55 seats Eastern Europe Russia and Central Asia 2003 2002 p 79 80 Day A Political and Economic Dictionary of Eastern Europe 2002 p 468 57 seats Armenia Parliamentary CNN Retrieved 12 April 2013 or 61 seats Usher The Fate of Small Nations The Karabagh Conflict Ten Years Later 1999 a b c Giragosian 1999 p 4 ODIHR 1999 pp 2 3 ODIHR 1999 p 1 Giragosian 1999 p 3 Newsline RFE RL 7 June 1999 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Danielyan Emil 10 June 1999 Armenia Parliament Elects Demirchian As Speaker RFE RL Retrieved 11 April 2013 de Waal 2003 p 264 Defense Minister Vazgen Sarkisian who in the summer of 1999 had become the most powerful man in Armenia a b Analysts baffled by shooting BBC News 27 October 1999 Retrieved 29 May 2013 He became the most powerful politician in the country long before he won the parliamentary elections in May a b Armenia Parliament Massacre Still A Mystery Three Years Later RFE RL 28 October 2002 Retrieved 11 April 2013 The Miasnutiun victory significantly limited President Robert Kocharian s powers with Sarkisian increasingly emerging as Armenia s most powerful man Grigorian Mark 29 October 1999 Divining The True Motives of the Calm Killers Of Vazgen Sarkisian Institute for War and Peace Reporting Archived from the original on 15 June 2013 Retrieved 13 April 2013 a b Kaeter Margaret 2004 The Caucasian republics New York Facts On File pp 43 44 ISBN 978 0 8160 5268 4 Many Armenians believe the shootings were the result of a conspiracy in which Kocharian was involved They note that some of Kocharian s main political rivals at the time were among those killed Baghdasaryan Edik April 2003 Kocharyan s election aftermath Hetq Retrieved 25 May 2013 President Prime Minister Introduce New Ministers Asbarez 17 June 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine Interview with Styopa Safaryan in Armenian 1in am 21 March 2014 Retrieved 21 March 2014 18 20 18 55 Հայաստանը Վազգեն Սարգսյանի և Կարեն Դեմիրճյանի օրոք կամ նրանց առկայությամբ դարձել էլ չափազանց ինքնիշխան 20 20 20 30 Նա անկառավարելի կարող էր ընկալվել անվերահսկելի կարող էր ընկալվել Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan s Speech at the Armenia Diaspora Conference 1999 in Armenian Translated by Panossian Razmik Armenian News Network Groong University of Southern California 13 December 1999 Retrieved 30 March 2013 Vazgen Sargsyan Concerned Over Emigration Asbarez 14 October 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b c d Caucasus Report July 29 1999 RFE RL 29 July 1999 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Human Rights and Human Development Action for Progress Armenia 2000 PDF Human Development Report p 15 Retrieved 19 May 2013 CSCE 1999 p 17 a b Danielyan Emil 30 August 1999 Armenia Parliament Approves Economic Austerity Measures RFE RL Retrieved 11 April 2013 First Pan Armenian Games Begin Asbarez 30 August 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 Pan Armenian Games End Amid Fanfare and Excitement Asbarez 7 September 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 President Signs Decree On Celebrating Independence Day Asbarez 8 September 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 Armenia Marks Independence Anniversary With Military Parade Asbarez 21 September 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 Diaspora Forum Delegates Begin Arriving in Armenia Asbarez 20 September 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 Armenia Diaspora Conference Begins in Yerevan Asbarez 22 September 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 Armenia Diaspora Conference Agenda September 22 23 1999 Armenian News Network Groong University of Southern California Archived from the original on 26 June 2018 Retrieved 2 June 2013 Diasporan and Armenian Party Reps Speak at Armenia Diaspora Conference Asbarez 23 September 1999 Retrieved 2 June 2013 a b c d Wines Michael 28 October 1999 Prime Minister and Others Slain in Armenian Siege The New York Times Retrieved 12 April 2013 a b Dixon Robyn 28 October 1999 Gunmen Kill Premier in Armenian Attack Los Angeles Times Moscow Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Vazgen Sargsyan Karen Demirchian Killed in Gunmen Raid on Parliament Asbarez 27 October 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b c Wines Michael 29 October 1999 3 Charged in Armenia Parliament Seizure The New York Times Retrieved 12 April 2013 a b Attack in Armenia PBS 27 October 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Mulvey Stephen 28 October 1999 Killers lacked coherent goals BBC News Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Hostage stand off in Armenian parliament BBC News 27 October 1999 Retrieved 31 March 2013 a b c d Demourian Avet 27 October 1999 Gunmen Take Over Armenian Parliament Premier Killed Associated Press Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Armenia s prime minister killed in parliament shooting CNN 27 October 1999 Retrieved 31 March 2013 Wines Michael 31 October 1999 Assassination in Armenia The New York Times Retrieved 12 April 2013 a b c Karatnycky Adrian 2001 Freedom in the World The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties 2000 2001 Transaction Publishers pp 59 60 ISBN 978 1 4128 5008 7 Gunmen Free Hostages Surrender Three Day Mourning Period Announced by President Asbarez 28 October 1999 Retrieved 12 June 2013 In pictures Armenia s grief BBC News 30 October 1999 a b Sargsyan Demirchian Others Laid to Rest President Calls Emergency Parliament Session Asbarez 1 November 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Manoogian Simone Louise 1 November 1999 Tragedy in Armenia AGBU News Magazine Retrieved 26 May 2013 Prosecutor Says Oct 27 Terrorism Was Guided By Unknown Forces Asbarez 30 October 2000 Retrieved 11 June 2013 Armenia Investigators Continue Inquiry Into Parliament Attack RFE RL 9 December 1999 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Karatnycky Adrian 2001 Freedom in the World The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties 2000 2001 Transaction Publishers p 58 ISBN 978 1 4128 5008 7 October 27 Trial Begins Asbarez 15 February 2001 Retrieved 11 June 2013 Parliament Gunmen Jailed for Life Asbarez 2 December 2003 Retrieved 11 June 2013 Democracy on Rocky Ground Armenia s Disputed 2008 Presidential Election Post election Violence and the One sided Pursuit of Accountability New York Human Rights Watch 2009 p 8 ISBN 978 1 56432 444 3 Waal Thomas de 2010 The Caucasus An Introduction Oxford University Press p 128 ISBN 978 0 19 974620 0 a b c Martirosian Anush Meloyan Ruben 28 October 2009 Armenia Marks Parliament Attack Anniversary RFE RL Retrieved 6 April 2013 It thrust the Armenian government into serious turmoil with government factions loyal to the slain officials suspecting Kocharian and then National Security Minister Serzh Sarkisian of eliminating increasingly powerful rivals a b Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine Բազմաթիվ հարցականները մնացին օդից կախված Many questions remain unanswered A1plus in Armenian 5 March 2013 Retrieved 16 April 2013 Harutyunyan Tatev 16 April 2013 Դա եղել է սպանություն ոչ թե հեղաշրջում Կ Դեմիրճյանի այրին հոկտեմբերի 27 մասին Karen Demirchyan s widow It was an assassination not a coup Aravot in Armenian Retrieved 14 May 2013 a b Stepanian Ruzanna 4 May 2005 Armenian Officials Deny Russian Role in 1999 Parliament Carnage RFE RL Retrieved 11 May 2013 Zurcher Christoph in German 2007 The post Soviet wars rebellion ethnic conflict and nationhood in the Caucasus New York New York University Press p 173 ISBN 978 0 8147 9709 9 He Kocharian is rumored to have been behind the gunning down of several of his opponents on the floor of the parliament in 1999 a b c Armenia Mystery Still Surrounds Armenian Parliament Slaughter RFE RL 27 October 2000 Retrieved 11 April 2013 a b Before 27 October 1999 Armenian representatives were warned from the outside about a terrorist attack declares the Armenian politician PanARMENIAN Net 18 October 2000 Retrieved 3 June 2013 Cornell Svante 2011 Azerbaijan Since Independence New York M E Sharpe p 144 ISBN 978 0 7656 3004 9 Spisok killerov FSB List of FSB killers Realnyj Azerbajdzhan Realniy Azerbaijan in Russian 29 April 2005 Archived from the original on 4 November 2005 Retrieved 16 February 2009 Shooting of the Armenian Parliament was organized by Russian special services Azg Daily 3 May 2005 Retrieved 6 April 2010 Monaghan Andrew Plater Zyberk Henry 22 May 2007 Misunderstanding Russia Alexander Litvinenko The UK amp Russia A Troubled Relationship Part I PDF Conflict Studies Research Centre of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom p 10 ISBN 978 1 905962 15 0 Archived from the original PDF on 5 November 2008 Retrieved 16 March 2010 on 11 May 2013 Russian embassy denies special services part in Armenian parliament shooting Information Telegraph Agency of Russia 12 May 2005 Retrieved 6 April 2010 Ո վ պետք է սպանվեր Հոկտեմբերի 27 ին Who was to be killed on October 27 A1plus in Armenian 27 October 2012 Retrieved 22 May 2013 Այդ մարդը Շիրխանյա նն էր Was Vahan Shirkhanyan that person A1plus in Armenian 7 May 2013 Retrieved 25 May 2013 Days of Kocharian s presidency are numbered Ashot Manucharian stated PanARMENIAN Net 26 October 2000 Retrieved 3 June 2013 Hughes amp Sasse 2002 p 162 Gunmen Charged With Terrorism Interior Minister Submits Resignation Asbarez 29 October 1999 Retrieved 12 June 2013 Petrosyan David 2010 The Political System of Armenia Form and Content PDF Caucasus Analytical Digest 17 Center for Security Studies CSS ETH Zurich Jefferson Institute Washington D C Heinrich Boll Foundation Tbilisi Research Centre for East European Studies University of Bremen 8 Retrieved 15 May 2013 Unity Bloc Can No Longer Work in Unity 16 October 2000 Retrieved 12 June 2013 Պետությունը չի կարելի թողնել մեկ անձի վրա Aravot in Armenian 5 March 2011 Archived from the original on 29 January 2022 Sargsyan s Brother Aram Named Armenia s New Prime Minister Asbarez 3 November 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 a b Harutyunyan Arus 2009 Contesting National Identities in an Ethnically Homogeneous State The Case of Armenian Democratization pp 87 88 ISBN 978 1 109 12012 7 Aram Sargsyan Says Armenia Will Stay on Course to Democracy Asbarez 12 November 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Newsline May 11 2000 RFE RL 11 May 2000 Retrieved 11 April 2013 The Europa World yearbook 2004 45th ed London Taylor amp Francis Group 2004 p 554 ISBN 978 1 85743 254 1 Caucasus Report May 18 2000 RFE RL 18 May 2000 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Armenia President Sacks PM Defense Chief RFE RL 5 May 2000 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Hanrapetutiun Party Considers Itself Bearer of Vazgen Sargsian s Policies Asbarez 3 April 2001 Retrieved 6 April 2013 o Beachain Donnacha Polese Abel 2010 The Colour Revolutions in the Former Soviet Republics Successes and Failures Milton Park Abingdon Oxon England Routledge p 90 ISBN 978 0 203 84895 1 Vazgen Sargsyan s brother to support Serzh Sargsyan A1plus 4 February 2013 Retrieved 30 March 2013 Վազգեն Սարգսյանի եղբայրը կսատարի Սերժ Սարգսյանին Vazgen Sargsyan s brother to support Serzh Sargsyan Aravot in Armenian 4 February 2013 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Grigoryan Nelli 5 March 2013 Aram Sargsyan Talks About His Brother s Support for Serzh Sargsyan Aravot Retrieved 7 April 2013 State awards of the Republic of Armenia Defence Ministry of the Republic of Armenia Retrieved 30 March 2013 Adalian 2010 p 522 Koehler Jan Zurcher Christoph 2003 Potentials of Disorder Explaining Conflict and Stability in the Caucasus and in the Former Yugoslavia Manchester Manchester University Press p 164 ISBN 978 0 7190 6241 4 Libaridian Gerald J 2007 Modern Armenia People Nation State New Brunswick N J Transaction Publishers p 252 ISBN 978 1 4128 1351 8 For the military Vazgen Sargsian was the founder of a victorious army and the inspiration of the armed forces Parliament Shooting Victims Commemorated Asbarez 28 December 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Նախագահ Սահակյանը մասնակցել է 8 րդ առանձին մոտոհրաձգային բրիգադի հիմնադրման 25 ամյակին նվիրված միջոցառմանը artsakhpress am Retrieved 11 February 2021 Vazgen Sargsyan St Yerevan Armenia Google Maps Retrieved 29 March 2013 Holding Nicholas 2011 Armenia with Nagorno Karabagh 3rd ed Chalfont St Peter Bucks Bradt Travel Guides p 271 ISBN 978 1 84162 345 0 First film festival held in Kapan Peace Corps Armenia 2011 Retrieved 30 March 2013 the first Kapan Film Festival was held in the park named after Vazgen Sargsyan Վազգեն Սարգսյանն ինքն է կանգնեցրել իր անձեռակերտ արձանը Vazgen had made his own hand crafted statue A1plus in Armenian 27 October 2007 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Վազգեն Սարգսյանի արձանը Vazgen Sargsyan s statue Hayots Ashkarh in Armenian 15 September 2009 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Vazgen Sargsyan s statue to be unveiled in Ararat A1plus 14 September 2009 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Vanadzor Statue of Vazgen Sargsyan Picasa Web Albums Archived from the original on 10 June 2015 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Սերժ Սարգսյանը մասնակցեց Շուշիի կերպարվեստի թանգարանի բացմանը Henaran am in Armenian 9 May 2013 Archived from the original on 20 October 2013 Retrieved 14 October 2013 October 27 Declared Day of Remembrance Asbarez 26 October 2000 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Medal of Vazgen Sargsyan Orders and Medals Society of America Retrieved 28 June 2013 Armenia Commemorates 1999 Parliament Killings RFE RL 27 October 2006 Retrieved 31 March 2013 Aram Sargsyan Put Aside the Wreath Sent by Serzh Sargsyan Aravot 5 March 2013 Archived from the original on 19 October 2013 Retrieved 30 March 2013 October 27th Tradegy Remembered Asbarez 27 October 2000 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Robert Coalson Harry Tamrazian 27 October 2009 Ten Years Later Deadly Shooting in Armenian Parliament Still Echoes RFE RL Retrieved 3 April 2013 Today is Vazgen Sargsyan s birthday Shant TV 5 March 2012 Retrieved 31 March 2013 Every year this day the friends comrade in arms state and high ranked officials citizens of Armenia visited Yerablur pantheon from early morning Museum of Vazgen Sargsian Inaugurated in Ararat Asbarez 5 March 2001 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Արարատում բացվեց Վազգեն Սարգսյանի տուն թանգարանը Vazgen Sarsgyan s House Museum opened in Ararat Azg Daily in Armenian 6 March 2001 Retrieved 31 March 2013 50th Anniversary of Birth of Sparapet Yerevan State University 20 March 2009 Retrieved 3 July 2014 Armenians commemorate Sparapet Vazgen Sargsyan A1plus 5 March 2014 Retrieved 3 July 2014 a b Dumanian Henry 2 March 2010 Diaspora and Democracy The Diaspora s Response to National Movements in Armenia PDF Washington D C Hunter College p 8 Archived from the original PDF on 23 February 2017 Retrieved 5 April 2013 Հայկական բանակին նվիրված երգերը վիդեո Songs dedicated to the Armenian Army ArmStar in Armenian 28 January 2013 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Hakobyan Hakob 5 March 2013 Ինչու եք ողջին որոնում մեռյալների մեջ Aravot in Armenian Retrieved 6 June 2013 Tadevosyan Ara 22 December 2011 Ինձ ժողովուրդը չի ճանաչում 168 hours in Armenian Retrieved 6 June 2013 Armenia National Voter Study November 2006 PDF IRI USAID Baltic Surveys Ltd The Gallup Organization ASA p 46 Retrieved 4 May 2013 Armenia National Voter Study March 16 25 2007 PDF IRI USAID Baltic Surveys Ltd The Gallup Organization ASA p 57 Retrieved 4 May 2013 Armenia National Voter Study July 2007 PDF IRI USAID Baltic Surveys Ltd The Gallup Organization ASA p 55 Retrieved 4 May 2013 Armenia National Voter Study 27 October 3 November 2007 PDF IRI USAID Baltic Surveys Ltd The Gallup Organization ASA p 60 Retrieved 4 May 2013 Armenia National Voter Study January 13 20 2008 PDF IRI USAID Baltic Surveys Ltd The Gallup Organization ASA p 49 Retrieved 4 May 2013 Kelley Judith G 2012 Monitoring Democracy When International Election Observation Works and why it Often Fails Princeton Princeton University Press p 215 ISBN 9780691152783 brought to power two charismatic leaders Karen Demirchian and Vazgen Sarkisian Panossian 2009 p 240 Ter Petrosyan Denies Defense Minister s Resignation Rumors Asbarez 20 February 1997 Retrieved 6 April 2013 Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan s Speech on the Occasion of the 15th Anniversary of the Armenian Armed Forces Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia 29 January 2007 Retrieved 31 March 2013 Nazaretyan Hovhannes 8 May 2021 Artsakh s Cultural Heritage Under Threat EVN Report Archived from the original on 29 January 2022 Սպարապետը հզոր անհատականություն էր Azg Daily in Armenian 5 March 2009 Retrieved 11 April 2013 Sanjian Ara Murder in parliament Who Why And What Next Armenian News Network Groong Retrieved 6 April 2013 Vazgen Sarkisian an Armenian nationalist BBC News 27 October 1999 Retrieved 30 March 2013 Steele Jonathan 28 October 1999 Vazgen Sarkisyan Fierce nationalist who preferred action to words The Guardian Retrieved 30 March 2013 Vazgen Sarkisyan Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 30 March 2013 Panossian 2009 p 241 CSCE 1999 p 1 Magdashian Petya 27 October 1999 Terror in parliament San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved 6 April 2013 Marshall Paul A 2008 Religious freedom in the world Lanham Md Rowman amp Littlefield Publishers p 140 ISBN 978 0 7425 6213 4 de Waal 2003 p 257 quote The chief generalissimo was Vazgen Sarkisian Armenia s charismatic first defense minister most prominent military leader and emerging feudal baron In 1993 he founded the Yerkrapah veterans movement which took over large areas of the economy Astourian 2001 pp 16 17 Remler Philip 2016 Chained to the Caucasus Peacemaking in Karabakh 1987 2012 PDF International Peace Institute p 81 ISBN 978 0 937722 81 7 Archived from the original PDF on 20 July 2019 Bibliography edit Croissant Michael P 1998 The Armenia Azerbaijan conflict causes and implications Westport Connecticut Praeger ISBN 978 0 275 96241 8 Giragosian Richard June 1999 Post Election Analysis The New Armenian Parliament PDF Bay Area Armenian National Committee Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 27 April 2013 Report on Armenia s parliamentary election May 30 1999 Washington DC Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 1999 Retrieved 6 April 2013 The Armenian Parliamentary Elections 30th May 1999 PDF British Helsinki Human Rights Group Retrieved 26 April 2013 Republic of Armenia Parliamentary election 30 May 1999 Final Report PDF Warsaw Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 30 July 1999 Lea David 2001 A Political Chronology of the Middle East Psychology Press ISBN 978 1 85743 115 5 Hughes James R Sasse Gwendolyn 2002 Ethnicity and territory in the former Soviet Union regions in conflict 1st ed London Frank Cass ISBN 978 0 7146 8210 5 de Waal Thomas 2003 Black Garden Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War New York New York University Press ISBN 978 0 8147 1945 9 Adalian Rouben Paul 2010 Historical Dictionary of Armenia Lanham Maryland Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 7450 3 Astourian Stephan H 2001 From Ter Petrosian to Kocharian Leadership Change in Armenia PDF University of California Berkeley Archived from the original PDF on 20 June 2013 Retrieved 11 January 2013 Panossian Razmik 2009 Post Soviet Armenia Nationalism amp Its Dis contents In Barrington Lowell ed After Independence Making and Protecting the Nation in Postcolonial and Postcommunist States University of Michigan Press ISBN 978 0 472 02508 4 External links editImages Vazgen Sargsya s pictures from early 1990s at ankakhutyun am Documentary videos Vazgen Sargsyan s TV speech calling on volunteers 15 August 1992 on YouTube Vazgen Sargsyan s press conference 23 January 1998 on YouTube Vazgen Sargsyan talking about Levon Ter Petrosyan June 1998 on YouTube Excerpt from Vazgen Sargsyan s speech at the Republican Party convention 29 January 1999 on YouTube Vazgen Sargsyan s speech on 27 October 1999 just before his assassination on YouTube Films Short film about the 27 October 1999 shooting in the parliament on YouTube by A1plus Mahapartner short film on YouTube by the Public Television of Armenia A short film about Yerkrapah on YouTube by the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union Vazgen Sargsyan short film on YouTube by Eduard Hambardzumyan 2010 Vazgen s lessons on YouTube an excerpt from the news on 5 March 2013 by Shant TV The Life The Way It Is Vazgen Sargsyan on YouTube by Armenia TV May 2013 Music Sparapet by Alla Levonyan music video on YouTube Political offices Preceded byArmen Darbinyan Prime Minister of Armenia1999 Succeeded byAram Sargsyan Preceded bySerzh Sargsyan Defence Minister of Armenia1995 1999 Succeeded byVagharshak Harutiunyan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vazgen Sargsyan amp oldid 1221772920, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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