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DASHNAK LEADER FANCIES OPPOSITION MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT
Ruzanna Stepanian, Tigran Avetisian
Armenialiberty.org
Oct 31 2011
Armenia's main opposition forces are capable of winning next year's
parliamentary elections, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) said on Monday.
"I think that if proper work is done and if the society is awakened,
it is very possible that the combined representation of opposition
forces in parliament will exceed 50 percent," Vahan Hovannisian
told journalists.
President Serzh Sarkisian's Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and its
two junior coalition partners control at least 100 of the 131 seats
in the current Armenian parliament. In a joint statement issued in
February, they expressed their intention to gain even more seats in
the next National Assembly to be elected next May.
Dashnaktsutyun and the two other major opposition groups -- the
Armenian National Congress (HAK) and the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party
-- condemned that statement as a clear sign that the authorities will
try rig the 2012 elections. Accordingly, they dismissed subsequent
government pledges to ensure their proper conduct.
Hovannisian, who ran for president in 2008 and now leads
Dashnaktsutyun's parliamentary faction, denounced in that context
Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian's warning last week that political
groups challenging the HHK would "end up empty-handed."
"In essence, a critic is regarded [by the government] as an enemy in
our country," he said. "We will not allow anyone to govern with ease
while constantly committing mistakes."
Opposition victory in the 2012 elections will be complicated by
uneasy relationships between Dashnaktsutyun, Zharangutyun and the
HAK. The latter has repeatedly questioned opposition credentials of
the two parties.
Artush Shabazian, another Dashnaktsutyun lawmaker, deplored the lack
of opposition unity on Monday during a public debate with three
other political figures. He said that the ruling coalition is far
more united than the "fragmented" opposition.
Shahbazian also described as "almost impossible" the formation of an
electoral alliance between his party and the HAK.
Armen Martirosian, a Zharangutyun leader, downplayed the significance
of such alliances for Armenia's political future. "If we really care
about the state we should hold decent elections in the first instance,
regardless of what alliances will or will not exist," he said.
For his part, HAK spokesman Arman Musinian declined to specify whether
the bloc is ready to join forces with other opposition groups. "We
find it meaningless and untimely to talk about that now," Musinian
told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
Dashnaktsutyun's Hovannisian, meanwhile, reacted rather positively
to HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian's announcement on Friday that the
opposition alliance will aim to win a parliamentary majority and
impeach President Sarkisian "single-handedly or in alliance with
other forces."
"That is a way of struggle," said the Dashnaktsutyun leader. "I
have no doubts that one should go for a victory in the parliamentary
elections."
Ruzanna Stepanian, Tigran Avetisian
Armenialiberty.org
Oct 31 2011
Armenia's main opposition forces are capable of winning next year's
parliamentary elections, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) said on Monday.
"I think that if proper work is done and if the society is awakened,
it is very possible that the combined representation of opposition
forces in parliament will exceed 50 percent," Vahan Hovannisian
told journalists.
President Serzh Sarkisian's Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and its
two junior coalition partners control at least 100 of the 131 seats
in the current Armenian parliament. In a joint statement issued in
February, they expressed their intention to gain even more seats in
the next National Assembly to be elected next May.
Dashnaktsutyun and the two other major opposition groups -- the
Armenian National Congress (HAK) and the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party
-- condemned that statement as a clear sign that the authorities will
try rig the 2012 elections. Accordingly, they dismissed subsequent
government pledges to ensure their proper conduct.
Hovannisian, who ran for president in 2008 and now leads
Dashnaktsutyun's parliamentary faction, denounced in that context
Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian's warning last week that political
groups challenging the HHK would "end up empty-handed."
"In essence, a critic is regarded [by the government] as an enemy in
our country," he said. "We will not allow anyone to govern with ease
while constantly committing mistakes."
Opposition victory in the 2012 elections will be complicated by
uneasy relationships between Dashnaktsutyun, Zharangutyun and the
HAK. The latter has repeatedly questioned opposition credentials of
the two parties.
Artush Shabazian, another Dashnaktsutyun lawmaker, deplored the lack
of opposition unity on Monday during a public debate with three
other political figures. He said that the ruling coalition is far
more united than the "fragmented" opposition.
Shahbazian also described as "almost impossible" the formation of an
electoral alliance between his party and the HAK.
Armen Martirosian, a Zharangutyun leader, downplayed the significance
of such alliances for Armenia's political future. "If we really care
about the state we should hold decent elections in the first instance,
regardless of what alliances will or will not exist," he said.
For his part, HAK spokesman Arman Musinian declined to specify whether
the bloc is ready to join forces with other opposition groups. "We
find it meaningless and untimely to talk about that now," Musinian
told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
Dashnaktsutyun's Hovannisian, meanwhile, reacted rather positively
to HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian's announcement on Friday that the
opposition alliance will aim to win a parliamentary majority and
impeach President Sarkisian "single-handedly or in alliance with
other forces."
"That is a way of struggle," said the Dashnaktsutyun leader. "I
have no doubts that one should go for a victory in the parliamentary
elections."