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THE RULING POWER BEATS THE OPPOSITION
KIMA YEGHIAZARYAN
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
20 Sep 2008
Armenia
In Terms Of Pure Initiatives
Interview with ex-MP, Chairwoman of the Public organization
`Shrjadards' Emma Khudabashyan.
`Mrs. Khudabashyan how do you estimate the internal political
situation? By the estimation of the pro-oppositional power headed by
Levon Ter-Petrosyan the crises continues in the country. Do you agree
with this assessment?'
`No. In my view there is no crises in our country. Due to the active
work of the ruling power and firstly the President we managed to
overcome the crises in our country. Even the internal political
situation has calmed down as compared with the atmosphere, which
existed two months back.
We all saw that the elected President Serge Sargsyan, immediately after
holding his position came out with lots of initiatives. Beginning from
tax and customs system, he realized reforms in different spheres,
established a Ministry of Diaspora to make the role of Diaspora more
important. He made the government sessions public; he adopted new
approaches in our foreign policy by inviting the Turkish President to
Armenia.
It is another issue that they need time to realize all those
initiatives. But it is a fact that lots of changes have been made in
the before mentioned spheres. And the employees of those spheres feel
this on their ski
ns. Many employees of customs services complain, `It
has become impossible to work'.
Now let's speak about the opposition belonging to Ter-Petrosyan. With
what initiatives did they appear in the post-election period? What was
the initiative of that opposition? `March-1'? What else? The
establishment of `Armenian National Congress'? We have already seen
`Ardarutyun' (justice) union. Which means they didn't come out with any
new initiative.
It is another question that Ter-Petrosyan is a brilliant orator. He can
introduce black as white, very skillfully. So when we compare the two
camps in terms of initiatives, we evidently see that the ruling power
beats the opposition.
Whereas opposition should have showed more initiatives. Because this is
their chance. Ter-Petrosyan's initiatives are usually related to the
foreign sphere, but the ruling power managed to take it from him,
meanwhile maintaining clear and healthy approach.'
`Could you ever expect Stepan Demirchyan to join LTP? Though you are
not a member of the People's Party of Armenia any more, anyway as a
member of the founding staff of the party aren't you concerned about
the party's fate?'
`I must mention that at the moment People's Party of Armenia is very
far from the political line oriented by Karen Demirchyan. According to
Karen Demirchyan People's Party of Armenia should have never become a
radical political power. And when after Karen Demirchyan the Party
manifested certain radicalism, especially after joining LTP, the party
lost its face.
In 1998 K. Demirchyan used to underscore that he can't take power at
cost of even one person's blood. He used to say that power is not
worthy of people's blood. He would have never chosen that way.'
`You compared the congress with `Ardarutyun' union. Do you mean that it
will have the same end?'
`In case of no results the people will definitely become disappointed.
And by now their struggle has been futile. The only thing they have
managed is splitting society and sowing hatred.
They made a fatal mistake by refusing to have dialogue with the ruling
power. After 1998 and 2003 the authorities didn't come out with similar
proposals. And this was the first time when the authorities proposed
cooperation and the opposition shouldn't have refused. Especially
because as compared with 2003 these elections were rather just and
transparent.
If the opposition really wants to see changes in the country they must
appreciate the steps made by the authorities in that direction. But
they didn't welcome any step except the invitation of the Turkish
President to visit Armenia.
For example fighting corruption. When the President was making such
risky steps, we must welcome this, especially because the
anti-corruption struggle was against the supporters of the country's
President, who have endorsed Serge Sargsyan during the elections. But
instead of supporting the President they continue to speak about it
with irony.
Which means, for these people, taking the power is an end in itself. I
can't understand are they against these changes. I wonder what would
they do had they come to power?
On the other hand when you look at the ex-officials supporting
Ter-Petrosyan, as a result of the reforms they should have been the
first to be punished. Ter-Petrosyan's cadre bank would have become the
first target for the struggle against corruption. Which would have been
very fair.'
KIMA YEGHIAZARYAN
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
20 Sep 2008
Armenia
In Terms Of Pure Initiatives
Interview with ex-MP, Chairwoman of the Public organization
`Shrjadards' Emma Khudabashyan.
`Mrs. Khudabashyan how do you estimate the internal political
situation? By the estimation of the pro-oppositional power headed by
Levon Ter-Petrosyan the crises continues in the country. Do you agree
with this assessment?'
`No. In my view there is no crises in our country. Due to the active
work of the ruling power and firstly the President we managed to
overcome the crises in our country. Even the internal political
situation has calmed down as compared with the atmosphere, which
existed two months back.
We all saw that the elected President Serge Sargsyan, immediately after
holding his position came out with lots of initiatives. Beginning from
tax and customs system, he realized reforms in different spheres,
established a Ministry of Diaspora to make the role of Diaspora more
important. He made the government sessions public; he adopted new
approaches in our foreign policy by inviting the Turkish President to
Armenia.
It is another issue that they need time to realize all those
initiatives. But it is a fact that lots of changes have been made in
the before mentioned spheres. And the employees of those spheres feel
this on their ski
ns. Many employees of customs services complain, `It
has become impossible to work'.
Now let's speak about the opposition belonging to Ter-Petrosyan. With
what initiatives did they appear in the post-election period? What was
the initiative of that opposition? `March-1'? What else? The
establishment of `Armenian National Congress'? We have already seen
`Ardarutyun' (justice) union. Which means they didn't come out with any
new initiative.
It is another question that Ter-Petrosyan is a brilliant orator. He can
introduce black as white, very skillfully. So when we compare the two
camps in terms of initiatives, we evidently see that the ruling power
beats the opposition.
Whereas opposition should have showed more initiatives. Because this is
their chance. Ter-Petrosyan's initiatives are usually related to the
foreign sphere, but the ruling power managed to take it from him,
meanwhile maintaining clear and healthy approach.'
`Could you ever expect Stepan Demirchyan to join LTP? Though you are
not a member of the People's Party of Armenia any more, anyway as a
member of the founding staff of the party aren't you concerned about
the party's fate?'
`I must mention that at the moment People's Party of Armenia is very
far from the political line oriented by Karen Demirchyan. According to
Karen Demirchyan People's Party of Armenia should have never become a
radical political power. And when after Karen Demirchyan the Party
manifested certain radicalism, especially after joining LTP, the party
lost its face.
In 1998 K. Demirchyan used to underscore that he can't take power at
cost of even one person's blood. He used to say that power is not
worthy of people's blood. He would have never chosen that way.'
`You compared the congress with `Ardarutyun' union. Do you mean that it
will have the same end?'
`In case of no results the people will definitely become disappointed.
And by now their struggle has been futile. The only thing they have
managed is splitting society and sowing hatred.
They made a fatal mistake by refusing to have dialogue with the ruling
power. After 1998 and 2003 the authorities didn't come out with similar
proposals. And this was the first time when the authorities proposed
cooperation and the opposition shouldn't have refused. Especially
because as compared with 2003 these elections were rather just and
transparent.
If the opposition really wants to see changes in the country they must
appreciate the steps made by the authorities in that direction. But
they didn't welcome any step except the invitation of the Turkish
President to visit Armenia.
For example fighting corruption. When the President was making such
risky steps, we must welcome this, especially because the
anti-corruption struggle was against the supporters of the country's
President, who have endorsed Serge Sargsyan during the elections. But
instead of supporting the President they continue to speak about it
with irony.
Which means, for these people, taking the power is an end in itself. I
can't understand are they against these changes. I wonder what would
they do had they come to power?
On the other hand when you look at the ex-officials supporting
Ter-Petrosyan, as a result of the reforms they should have been the
first to be punished. Ter-Petrosyan's cadre bank would have become the
first target for the struggle against corruption. Which would have been
very fair.'