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GIRAGOSIAN TO DIASPORA - STOP REGARDING ARMENIA AS DISNEYLAND
hetq
14:46, April 20, 2012
Richard Giragosian, who heads the Regional Studies Center think-tank
in Yerevan, declared it was high time for the diaspora to stop viewing
Armenia as a "Disneyland"
Giragosian, a transplanted diaspora Armenian, stated Armenia must
become the center of the universe for Armenian worldwide, where
issues of human rights, democracy and economic development assume
equal importance with genocide recognition.
The analyst said that the Armenian government should be doing much more
to facilitate conditions leading to more from the diapora moving to
Armenia. Giragosian has been living in Armenia for the past seven
years.
He stated that both for those living in Armenia and diaspora-Armenians,
there are two basic challenges - a lack of possibilities and the
oligarch dominated economy.
Free and fair elections, Giragosian argued, would not only create an
opportunity to improve the life of Armenian citizens, but would also
improve the lot of diasporans residing in Armenia.
The analyst pointed to the near total absence of any talk regarding
Armenia-Turkish relations and the Genocide issue in the parliamentary
campaign as indicative of the very low level of political discourse
in Armenia.
He labelled this politics of individuals and not serious debate.
Issues of prime importance - Armenian-Turkish relations,
Armenian-Russian relations, Artsakh - are infrequently discussed. He
said there must be more debate on these issues so that the public
gets a better grasp of the positions of the various parties.
Giragosian argued that the Armenian Genocide shouldn't be the only
issue on the diaspora's agenda, arguing that battling the oligarchy
in Armenia is also very vital given that it poses a huge threat to
the state itself.
The oligarchs, said Giragosian, thwart both democratic and economic
development. He found it appalling that many are to be re-elected to
the country's parliament.
hetq
14:46, April 20, 2012
Richard Giragosian, who heads the Regional Studies Center think-tank
in Yerevan, declared it was high time for the diaspora to stop viewing
Armenia as a "Disneyland"
Giragosian, a transplanted diaspora Armenian, stated Armenia must
become the center of the universe for Armenian worldwide, where
issues of human rights, democracy and economic development assume
equal importance with genocide recognition.
The analyst said that the Armenian government should be doing much more
to facilitate conditions leading to more from the diapora moving to
Armenia. Giragosian has been living in Armenia for the past seven
years.
He stated that both for those living in Armenia and diaspora-Armenians,
there are two basic challenges - a lack of possibilities and the
oligarch dominated economy.
Free and fair elections, Giragosian argued, would not only create an
opportunity to improve the life of Armenian citizens, but would also
improve the lot of diasporans residing in Armenia.
The analyst pointed to the near total absence of any talk regarding
Armenia-Turkish relations and the Genocide issue in the parliamentary
campaign as indicative of the very low level of political discourse
in Armenia.
He labelled this politics of individuals and not serious debate.
Issues of prime importance - Armenian-Turkish relations,
Armenian-Russian relations, Artsakh - are infrequently discussed. He
said there must be more debate on these issues so that the public
gets a better grasp of the positions of the various parties.
Giragosian argued that the Armenian Genocide shouldn't be the only
issue on the diaspora's agenda, arguing that battling the oligarchy
in Armenia is also very vital given that it poses a huge threat to
the state itself.
The oligarchs, said Giragosian, thwart both democratic and economic
development. He found it appalling that many are to be re-elected to
the country's parliament.