Gagik Tsarukian

Gagik Tsarukian, also known as Dodi Gago (born November 25, 1956, [http://www.parliament.am/deputies.php?sel=details&ID=864&lang=eng Profile on Armenian Parliament website] .] in Arindj in the Abovyan region), is an Armenian politician and a wealthy businessman.Liz Fuller, [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/04/16f2ef9f-2f7c-44e2-9328-ab52e5f3c2c4.html "Armenia: Election Campaign Gets Off To Uneasy Start"] , Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, April 19, 2007.]

On May 25, 2003, he was elected as a deputy in the National Assembly of Armenia from district 42, becoming a member of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs; he was not a member of a parliamentary faction during this term. In late 2005 he founded the Prosperous Armenia party. He was re-elected to the National Assembly in the May 2007 parliamentary election from district 28 as a Prosperous Armenia candidate; following this election he became head of the Prosperous Armenia parliamentary faction and a member of the Committee on the Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs in June 2007.

Education and awards

Gagik Tsaroukyan graduated from the Armenian State Institute of Physical Education; he won the World Arm Wrestling Championship and the European Arm Wrestling Championship in 1998. He has been awarded the St. Grigor Lousavorich Medal (2002) and Movses Khorenatsi Medal (2003). Tsarukian is currently the president of the Armenian National Olympic Committee.

References