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DASHNAKS DECRY 'RULE OF WEALTH' IN ARMENIA
Ruzanna Stepanian
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/2242878.html
08.12.2010
Armenia -- Armen Rustamian, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, at a news conference in Yerevan, 8 Dec 2010.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) stepped up its
criticism of the Armenia's current leadership on Wednesday, saying
that the country is controlled by a "privileged class" of wealthy
government-linked citizens.
The influential party, which quit President Serzh Sarkisian's governing
coalition 19 months ago, also decried what it sees as a lack of
democracy and rule of law and reiterated its stated commitment to
"regime change."
"A rule of wealth has been formed in Armenia. It has nothing to do
with the will of the people," said Armen Rustamian, the de facto
head of Dashnaktsutyun's governing body in Armenia. He claimed
that the country's political, judicial and economic systems are
regulated by "unwritten and unconstitutional laws" that benefit only
"representatives of a privileged class who do what they want."
"There is widespread corruption and inept governance," Rustamian told
a news conference. "There is a fusion of government and business and
a monopolistic economy based on that."
"According to various estimates, 40 to 50 families essentially decide
Armenia's budget," he added. "It is therefore absolutely meaningless
to talk about the middle class."
Dashnaktsutyun, which has branches in all major Armenian communities
abroad, was a major ally of former President Robert Kocharian
throughout his 1998-2008 rule. It joined the coalition government
formed by his successor, President Sarkisian, in April 2008 only
to pull out of it in April 2009 in protest against his policy of
rapprochement with Turkey.
While strongly condemning that policy, Dashnaktsutyun has so far
been careful not to campaign for the president's resignation and the
conduct of fresh presidential and parliamentary elections.
The nationalist party announced the start of nationwide anti-government
protests when it rallied several hundred supporters in the central
Armenian town of Ashtarak in late September. It has held no fresh
rallies since then, however.
Rustamian, who also heads the Armenian parliament's committee on
foreign relations, said leadership change alone would not address
the state of affairs in Armenia. He said his party stands for a
"drastic and radical change of the entire government system" that would
"root out the system of the government's reproduction" and allow for
democratic elections.
Rustamian dismissed critics' claims that Dashnaktsutyun itself
contributed to Armenia's culture of electoral fraud with its more
than decade-long support for the ruling establishment.
From: A. Papazian
Ruzanna Stepanian
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/2242878.html
08.12.2010
Armenia -- Armen Rustamian, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, at a news conference in Yerevan, 8 Dec 2010.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) stepped up its
criticism of the Armenia's current leadership on Wednesday, saying
that the country is controlled by a "privileged class" of wealthy
government-linked citizens.
The influential party, which quit President Serzh Sarkisian's governing
coalition 19 months ago, also decried what it sees as a lack of
democracy and rule of law and reiterated its stated commitment to
"regime change."
"A rule of wealth has been formed in Armenia. It has nothing to do
with the will of the people," said Armen Rustamian, the de facto
head of Dashnaktsutyun's governing body in Armenia. He claimed
that the country's political, judicial and economic systems are
regulated by "unwritten and unconstitutional laws" that benefit only
"representatives of a privileged class who do what they want."
"There is widespread corruption and inept governance," Rustamian told
a news conference. "There is a fusion of government and business and
a monopolistic economy based on that."
"According to various estimates, 40 to 50 families essentially decide
Armenia's budget," he added. "It is therefore absolutely meaningless
to talk about the middle class."
Dashnaktsutyun, which has branches in all major Armenian communities
abroad, was a major ally of former President Robert Kocharian
throughout his 1998-2008 rule. It joined the coalition government
formed by his successor, President Sarkisian, in April 2008 only
to pull out of it in April 2009 in protest against his policy of
rapprochement with Turkey.
While strongly condemning that policy, Dashnaktsutyun has so far
been careful not to campaign for the president's resignation and the
conduct of fresh presidential and parliamentary elections.
The nationalist party announced the start of nationwide anti-government
protests when it rallied several hundred supporters in the central
Armenian town of Ashtarak in late September. It has held no fresh
rallies since then, however.
Rustamian, who also heads the Armenian parliament's committee on
foreign relations, said leadership change alone would not address
the state of affairs in Armenia. He said his party stands for a
"drastic and radical change of the entire government system" that would
"root out the system of the government's reproduction" and allow for
democratic elections.
Rustamian dismissed critics' claims that Dashnaktsutyun itself
contributed to Armenia's culture of electoral fraud with its more
than decade-long support for the ruling establishment.
From: A. Papazian