Tweet
ARMENIA IN SOCIETAL CRISIS, WARNS ARF'S RUSTAMIAN
Asbarez
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
YEREVAN
(Yerkir.am)-Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of
Armenia chairman Armen Rustamian Wednesday warned that Armenia was
embroiled in a societal crisis, saying the country was being controlled
by a "wealthy class" and citing the absence of democratic reforms,
during a press briefing.
As a result, Rustamian said, there does not exist a government that
is ruled by the people, but rather a plutocracy that is governed by an
elite class of wealthy Armenians who engage in wide-spread corruption
and disregard for rule of law.
Rustamian said "unwritten and unconstitutional laws" regulate the
country's political, judicial and economic systems. In this climate,
he explained, the pursuit of justice becomes impossible, since the
ruling party, the leadership and the government has become one.
On the economic front, Rustamian's assessment was equally bleak. He
cited certain estimations according to which 40 to 50 families control
Armenia's budget, threatening the existence of a middle class.
As the ARF moves toward a pledged campaign for regime change, Rustamian
said Armenia needed a drastic change of the entire governing system
in Armenia, if it is to emerge from this crisis and flourish in a
truly democratic society.
Rustamian proposed a parliamentary system of government, explaining
that the presidential system has wreaked havoc on the country and
poses clear dangers for Armenian society. He also emphasized the need
to lift the immunity of parliament members and hold them accountable.
The people must hold their right to elect and vote in the highest
regard so that the government can be represented by the people and not
"some kind of an oligarchy."
"The main component of democracy is the representative democracy. In
this case, I refer to the parliament, which needs to balance the
executive branch," explained Rustamian. "Our parliament does not
represent the true picture. The parliament is not merely weak but,
for the executive branch, it is inept."
He explained that there was a discrepancy between legislation that
is borne from the parliament to measures that are pushed by the
government. The ratio, he said, was 1 to 9.
"The other component [of democracy] is the participatory element,
based on which the population can impact the outcome of all decisions
being made in the country," said Rustamian.
"The second component is the immediate democracy whereby the
people express their will through elections and referendums," added
Rustamian. "However, the process has not been established in Armenia
since the will of the people is ignored."
At the conclusion of the press briefing, Rustamian announced that
the ARF will host, on Thursday, a conference entitled "Challenges
of Democracy and Nation Building in Armenia," during which
international experts, human rights advocates and representatives
from the Constitutional Court will make presentations. He explained
that the conference will also examine the importance of democracy,
the current state of democracy in Armenia and will propose ways to
remedy the current crisis.
From: A. Papazian
Asbarez
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
YEREVAN
(Yerkir.am)-Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of
Armenia chairman Armen Rustamian Wednesday warned that Armenia was
embroiled in a societal crisis, saying the country was being controlled
by a "wealthy class" and citing the absence of democratic reforms,
during a press briefing.
As a result, Rustamian said, there does not exist a government that
is ruled by the people, but rather a plutocracy that is governed by an
elite class of wealthy Armenians who engage in wide-spread corruption
and disregard for rule of law.
Rustamian said "unwritten and unconstitutional laws" regulate the
country's political, judicial and economic systems. In this climate,
he explained, the pursuit of justice becomes impossible, since the
ruling party, the leadership and the government has become one.
On the economic front, Rustamian's assessment was equally bleak. He
cited certain estimations according to which 40 to 50 families control
Armenia's budget, threatening the existence of a middle class.
As the ARF moves toward a pledged campaign for regime change, Rustamian
said Armenia needed a drastic change of the entire governing system
in Armenia, if it is to emerge from this crisis and flourish in a
truly democratic society.
Rustamian proposed a parliamentary system of government, explaining
that the presidential system has wreaked havoc on the country and
poses clear dangers for Armenian society. He also emphasized the need
to lift the immunity of parliament members and hold them accountable.
The people must hold their right to elect and vote in the highest
regard so that the government can be represented by the people and not
"some kind of an oligarchy."
"The main component of democracy is the representative democracy. In
this case, I refer to the parliament, which needs to balance the
executive branch," explained Rustamian. "Our parliament does not
represent the true picture. The parliament is not merely weak but,
for the executive branch, it is inept."
He explained that there was a discrepancy between legislation that
is borne from the parliament to measures that are pushed by the
government. The ratio, he said, was 1 to 9.
"The other component [of democracy] is the participatory element,
based on which the population can impact the outcome of all decisions
being made in the country," said Rustamian.
"The second component is the immediate democracy whereby the
people express their will through elections and referendums," added
Rustamian. "However, the process has not been established in Armenia
since the will of the people is ignored."
At the conclusion of the press briefing, Rustamian announced that
the ARF will host, on Thursday, a conference entitled "Challenges
of Democracy and Nation Building in Armenia," during which
international experts, human rights advocates and representatives
from the Constitutional Court will make presentations. He explained
that the conference will also examine the importance of democracy,
the current state of democracy in Armenia and will propose ways to
remedy the current crisis.
From: A. Papazian