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DEMOCRACY ENDS WHERE TRANSGRESSION STARTS
LILIT POGHOSYAN
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on June 14, 2008
Armenia
Member of the `Republican' Parliamentary faction Artak Davtyan responds
to our questions.
`Do you think the temporary committee investigating March 1
developments will answer its purpose, if we take into account the fact
that the parliamentary opposition has already put forward certain
pre-conditions?'
`The committee has clear goals, enshrined in the draft decision. It is
about violence, about the proportionality of the activity of Police,
the conditions in which each of those victims died, which is also very
important. Besides that the committee must propose political and legal
solutions, which will exclude the repetition of March 1-2 developments.
In my view the Committee will realize all the tasks set, on time and
satisfactory and before October 25 will represent its conclusion during
NA Plenary Session of course with corresponding proposals.
It is natural that the opposition has certain proposals, remarks
regarding the staff of the committee, principle of formation and
function. But this is the case when we must try to avoid party and
political affectations, because this temporary committee is going to
clarify the whole truth regarding March 1 developments - an issue that
is of great significance for our people.
In this respect we welcome Victor Dallakyan's initiative, regarding the
formation of this temporary committee. It is much more valuable that
our colleague put this draft decision in circulation at the end of
March, before the adoption of the famous resolution by the Council of
Europe, because one of the requirements of this resolution was about
the formation of similar committee.'
`Besides the proposal about providing equal seats for the Parliamentary
minority and majority, they propose to give the seats of the Republican
faction to your former colleagues detained in connection with March 1
developments. What can you say in this respect?'
`This approach is totally unacceptable. If people had direct
participation in those events and they are accused, do you think they
can be impartial? It is another question that according to point 5 of
the draft, three days after the formation it is planned to invite Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and all the other extra-parliamentary forces to
participate in the works of the committee with the right for
consultative vote. And, by the way each of them has the right to
express special opinion, in case they disagree with the conclusion of
the committee. In this respect the authors of the draft have manifested
a very balanced approach.'
`While you and your colleagues speak about excluding the repetition of
March 1 developments Ter-Petrosyan's supporters don't mind `crossing
the Rubicon one more time'. The activists of the `movement' directly
announce that on June 20 they will try to realize their scenario.'
`What do you mean saying `cross the Rubicon'. If saying `Rubicon' they
mean breaching the law, then they will definitely be punished. If after
these announcements they take concrete steps, illegal actions it will
be prevented by state interference.
After all let's understand one simple thing, democracy is the only way
for our country, there is no other alternative for us, these are not
empty words, but on the other hand democracy ends where transgression
starts. We must clearly see this differentiation. Opposition has the
opportunity to organize all the forms of protest functions. At the
moment they use their opportunity by organizing `political walks' in
Northern Avenue. I don't know to what extent these walks contribute to
the realization of their political purposes, but it will definitely
improve their health.
The effort of the opposition to destabilize the situation is quite
understandable. Ter-Petrosyan's entire campaign, his pre-election and
post-election strategy was based on the before mentioned, to keep our
society in tension, to make the authorities nervous, forcing them to
take certain measures.
In my view the tragedy of March 1 displays that in such situations the
state must take all the measures from the beginning not to jeopardize
the life of any citizen, instead of sitting and waiting until the
passions will inflame more and more.
The right for demonstrations is enshrined in the constitution. But when
some people use all the possible and impossible measures to take power,
it is a very narrow domain and opposition can't work in this domain.
In this regard we welcome the changes in NA regulations, which
significantly raises the role of the parliamentary opposition, provides
opportunity to work in the constructive domain as well. And why not
influence the decisions taken by the political majority and propose
alternatives.''
LILIT POGHOSYAN
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on June 14, 2008
Armenia
Member of the `Republican' Parliamentary faction Artak Davtyan responds
to our questions.
`Do you think the temporary committee investigating March 1
developments will answer its purpose, if we take into account the fact
that the parliamentary opposition has already put forward certain
pre-conditions?'
`The committee has clear goals, enshrined in the draft decision. It is
about violence, about the proportionality of the activity of Police,
the conditions in which each of those victims died, which is also very
important. Besides that the committee must propose political and legal
solutions, which will exclude the repetition of March 1-2 developments.
In my view the Committee will realize all the tasks set, on time and
satisfactory and before October 25 will represent its conclusion during
NA Plenary Session of course with corresponding proposals.
It is natural that the opposition has certain proposals, remarks
regarding the staff of the committee, principle of formation and
function. But this is the case when we must try to avoid party and
political affectations, because this temporary committee is going to
clarify the whole truth regarding March 1 developments - an issue that
is of great significance for our people.
In this respect we welcome Victor Dallakyan's initiative, regarding the
formation of this temporary committee. It is much more valuable that
our colleague put this draft decision in circulation at the end of
March, before the adoption of the famous resolution by the Council of
Europe, because one of the requirements of this resolution was about
the formation of similar committee.'
`Besides the proposal about providing equal seats for the Parliamentary
minority and majority, they propose to give the seats of the Republican
faction to your former colleagues detained in connection with March 1
developments. What can you say in this respect?'
`This approach is totally unacceptable. If people had direct
participation in those events and they are accused, do you think they
can be impartial? It is another question that according to point 5 of
the draft, three days after the formation it is planned to invite Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and all the other extra-parliamentary forces to
participate in the works of the committee with the right for
consultative vote. And, by the way each of them has the right to
express special opinion, in case they disagree with the conclusion of
the committee. In this respect the authors of the draft have manifested
a very balanced approach.'
`While you and your colleagues speak about excluding the repetition of
March 1 developments Ter-Petrosyan's supporters don't mind `crossing
the Rubicon one more time'. The activists of the `movement' directly
announce that on June 20 they will try to realize their scenario.'
`What do you mean saying `cross the Rubicon'. If saying `Rubicon' they
mean breaching the law, then they will definitely be punished. If after
these announcements they take concrete steps, illegal actions it will
be prevented by state interference.
After all let's understand one simple thing, democracy is the only way
for our country, there is no other alternative for us, these are not
empty words, but on the other hand democracy ends where transgression
starts. We must clearly see this differentiation. Opposition has the
opportunity to organize all the forms of protest functions. At the
moment they use their opportunity by organizing `political walks' in
Northern Avenue. I don't know to what extent these walks contribute to
the realization of their political purposes, but it will definitely
improve their health.
The effort of the opposition to destabilize the situation is quite
understandable. Ter-Petrosyan's entire campaign, his pre-election and
post-election strategy was based on the before mentioned, to keep our
society in tension, to make the authorities nervous, forcing them to
take certain measures.
In my view the tragedy of March 1 displays that in such situations the
state must take all the measures from the beginning not to jeopardize
the life of any citizen, instead of sitting and waiting until the
passions will inflame more and more.
The right for demonstrations is enshrined in the constitution. But when
some people use all the possible and impossible measures to take power,
it is a very narrow domain and opposition can't work in this domain.
In this regard we welcome the changes in NA regulations, which
significantly raises the role of the parliamentary opposition, provides
opportunity to work in the constructive domain as well. And why not
influence the decisions taken by the political majority and propose
alternatives.''