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MARCH 2008 EVENTS WERE TO ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WHO NOW EXPLOIT THEM-EX-PRESIDENT
Tert.am
10.05.11
The March 2008 events in Armenia were to the advantage of those
who now exploit them-Armenia's second president has has said in an
interview with Mediamax news agency.
"The March 1 developments - both in terms of the opposition's conduct
and the authorities' response - were obvious to the whole country. The
defeated candidate declared he was the elected president and said he
was going to invade the presidential palace. That's all," Kocharyan
said. "The situation became especially tense when the opposition
resorted to illegal measures. A state of emergency was declared in
Yerevan when everything was beyond control, and there were threats
to the constitutional order and people's security and property. It's
just impossible to deny that."
The ex-president noted that the emergnecy was imposed in accordance
with the Constitutional norms and procedures (after obtaining the
prime minister's agreement and the National Assembly's approval).
"I think such measures should have been adopted earlier to avoid
deaths," he said.
Kocahryan added that the president does not exercise direct
responsibility for the maintainance of the law and order in streets.
He said executive bodiese regulate such procedures in accordance with
the existing laws.
"I can say definately that no one gave them instructions for launching
armed operations against people. At least I do not possess specific
facts on that score. With the exception of the [police] captian, all
the other people who died were considerably far from the demonsration
site. The situation there was beyond the control of either the police
or the opposition leader."
"All the eight civilians were ordinary people who had never been
politically active. Four of them died of firearm wounds. Why should
anyone open fire on them on purpose. It was either a tragic coincidence
or an intentional act aimed at discrediting the authorities,"
Kocharyan said.
From: A. Papazian
Tert.am
10.05.11
The March 2008 events in Armenia were to the advantage of those
who now exploit them-Armenia's second president has has said in an
interview with Mediamax news agency.
"The March 1 developments - both in terms of the opposition's conduct
and the authorities' response - were obvious to the whole country. The
defeated candidate declared he was the elected president and said he
was going to invade the presidential palace. That's all," Kocharyan
said. "The situation became especially tense when the opposition
resorted to illegal measures. A state of emergency was declared in
Yerevan when everything was beyond control, and there were threats
to the constitutional order and people's security and property. It's
just impossible to deny that."
The ex-president noted that the emergnecy was imposed in accordance
with the Constitutional norms and procedures (after obtaining the
prime minister's agreement and the National Assembly's approval).
"I think such measures should have been adopted earlier to avoid
deaths," he said.
Kocahryan added that the president does not exercise direct
responsibility for the maintainance of the law and order in streets.
He said executive bodiese regulate such procedures in accordance with
the existing laws.
"I can say definately that no one gave them instructions for launching
armed operations against people. At least I do not possess specific
facts on that score. With the exception of the [police] captian, all
the other people who died were considerably far from the demonsration
site. The situation there was beyond the control of either the police
or the opposition leader."
"All the eight civilians were ordinary people who had never been
politically active. Four of them died of firearm wounds. Why should
anyone open fire on them on purpose. It was either a tragic coincidence
or an intentional act aimed at discrediting the authorities,"
Kocharyan said.
From: A. Papazian