Gagik Tsarukyan

Gagik Tsarukyan

Gagik Kolyai Tsarukyan (Armenian: Գագիկ Ծառուկյան), also known by his nickname Dodi Gago (Armenian: Դոդի Գագո) is an Armenian politician and a wealthy businessman. He is seen as the most influential of Armenia's government-connected "oligarchs" and key business partner of Kocharyan owning over a dozen big businesses and living in a very large villa on a hilltop overlooking the northern outskirts of Yerevan.

Tsarukyan is the founder and current leader of Prosperous Armenia Party and also the president of Armenia's National Olympic Committee (was reelected on December 4, 2008).

Tsarukyan graduated from Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture in 1989, had achievements in sports, was engaged in boxing, wrestling and arm wrestling. In 1996 Gagik Tsarukyan was given a title of world champion in arm-wrestling, and in 1998 champion of Europe.

Since 1989 Tsarukyan has been engaged in entrepreneurship. In 1995 he founded and presided "Multi Group" concern which now includes more than 30 enterprises: "Kotayk" beer factory in Abovyan, Yerevan Chemical Pharmaceutical Company, "Mek" Network of Furniture Stores, Yerevan Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory, etc. Tsarukyan is accused of depriving ownership rights of foreign investors in Yerevan Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory. Currently there are several court hearings pending. The largest one is launched from a German investment firm that accuses Tsarukyan of having illegally taken their stake. See Ownership of NOY in question

Since 2003 Tsarukyan has been a RA National Assembly deputy. On May 25, 2003 he was elected as a deputy in the National Assembly of Armenia from District 42 after running unopposed, later 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. During the first congress of Prosperous Amenia Party, on April 30, 2004, Tsarukyan was elected as its president. During the fourth congress of the party, on February 12, 2009, Tsarukyan was re-elected as the party president. 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.

Javahir Tsarukyan is Gagik Tsarukyan's wife. They have six children.