Armenians in Lebanon have maintained their presence and unique character despite the delicate Lebanese reality and the extreme sensitivity of its components. They have approached Lebanese details with the eye of a "jeweler," as they are masters of gold crafting and owners of the largest gold markets in Lebanon. In Bourj Hammoud, a densely populated residential area, factories, artisanal centers, and shops are widespread, with people busy in their work and trade, while political conflicts persist within the walls of the impenetrable Armenian stronghold. The Tashnag Party, the largest and most powerful Armenian party, has succeeded in tightening its grip and dominance following escalating disputes among Armenian parties on the eve of the parliamentary elections, amid a peak in the division between the March 8 and March 14 alliances.
Deputy Hagop Pakradounian, who took on the role of Secretary-General of the Tashnag Party at the beginning of 2015, is now facing the first "rebellion" against party decisions at this level. This comes after Minister of Industry in the caretaker government, George Bushkian, contradicted the party's decision by participating in a cabinet session, responding to Prime Minister Najib Mikati's request, contrary to the will of his political reference that appointed him as minister and for which he ran for election, entering Parliament. The decision to expel Bushkian from the Armenian parliamentary bloc was swift, and what happened on Monday may serve as a lesson for the Tashnag Central Committee, potentially pushing it in the future to restrict the nomination of its representatives to the party loyalists who are supposed to be disciplined.
However, this is not Bushkian's only defiance. He was the only one who opposed his Prime Minister's desire and request for cabinet ministers not to run in the parliamentary elections on May 15. Mikati and all ministers complied with this request, except for Bushkian. It is noted that Bushkian lost in the previous electoral cycle, and Tashnag rewarded him with a ministerial position before nominating him again for the Orthodox Armenian seat in the Zahle district. In terms of the relationship between Tashnag and the Free Patriotic Movement, Bushkian's separation was not the only step; in the recent elections, they parted ways in Metn and other districts. Historically, previous ministers of industry, Abraham Dedeyan and Frij Sabounjian (who were not party members but nominated by Tashnag), voted in consecutive governments outside the Reform and Change Bloc.
Bushkian's decision recalls a similar rebellion that occurred with the Kataeb Party when former Minister of Labor Sajaan Qazzi refused to resign alongside his Kataeb colleagues from the government based on the central decision from their headquarters. Additionally, there was the influence of Minister Adnan al-Sayed Hussein, affiliated with the President of the Republic, who aligned himself with the Shiite duo and the Free Patriotic Movement members who resigned from Saad Hariri's government. Sources familiar with recent developments before and after Monday's session informed MTV that what Bushkian, a member of the influential and globally extended Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), did was natural, fitting within the context of the excellent relationship between him and Mikati, in contrast to his relationship with the Free Patriotic Movement and its leader, MP Gibran Bassil. Those interpreting events may err in assuming that Mikati pressured Bushkian to align with him.
Insiders indicate that this is "not the first time Bushkian has distinguished himself within the government from the ministers of the Free Patriotic Movement. Therefore, he does not need anyone to pressure him, nor does he need anyone to convince him to follow the Prime Minister. Even those who link the reason to existing business interests between the two men might misinterpret, as Bushkian standing against Mikati could negatively affect those interests, which is also a mistaken belief." Ultimately, Bushkian has served as a means for Mikati to navigate the caretaker phase without the need to plead for the "movement's" ministers to attend, provided that the political will from the Hezbollah-Aoun duo continues to convene similar sessions in the coming days.
On the Armenian front, the Tashnag party saved face by expelling Bushkian from the bloc and by having Pakradounian attend the Strong Lebanon bloc meeting and Bassil's press conference. However, this will not necessarily mean that the association between Bourj Hammoud and Merna al-Chalouhi will remain mandatory, as calculations will always be "individually determined."
