Yerevan/Mediamax/. U.K. Ambassador to Armenia Katherine Leach sees certain connection between the criminal case against Vardan Oskanian and decision of "Prosperous Armenia" party not to join the coalition.

"There have been a few recent cases which have raised eyebrows – and questions – not just among European/US officials, but amongst a wider public too (e.g. the case with ANC activists) .  The most recent of these is the case of the former Foreign Minister, Vartan Oskanian.  For the person on the street, it is impossible to say whether Mr. Oskanian has, or hasn’t, a genuine criminal case to answer.  But what we can understand is that Prosperous Armenia, Mr. Oskanian’s party, announced on 24 May it would not rejoin the ruling party coalition.  And on 25 May an investigation into Mr. Oskanian’s finances was launched.

Of course, the timing could be coincidental.  But the fact that people are even asking the question about a potentially politically motivated prosecution demonstrates the mountain these institutions of state power still have to climb to gain people’s trust that they are truly acting in the public interest, not the government interest", wrote Katherine Leach.