JOINT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE 'A BLUFF' - ARMENIAN EXPERT
tert.am
11.12.12
Armenia's opposition forces will not nominate a joint presidential
candidate, the ethnographer and public figure Hranush Haratyan told
Tert.am, as she commented on the recent consultations by different
political forces.
"From the very beginning it was clear that our 'opposition' is not
at all a uniform thing. Nor is it clear what is common in different
political forces' programs," Ms Kharatyan said.
It is obvious that, in the case of presidential candidate, the forces
should at least unite round one idea.
Ms Kharatyan does not know what the main common idea that would cause
different political forces to unite is.
"It is obvious that the process was going on - maneuvering to prevent
finding oneself defeated a few minutes before the election," Ms
Kharatyan said.
Asked if that was deliberate imitation, Ms Kharatyan said that
imitation should have its purpose as well.
"I am sure that, even if they are negotiating, they are not discussing
concrete issues. If they are really negotiating, why are not doing
it publicly?"
As regards the 4-point program by the opposition bloc Armenian National
Congress (ANC) and a 7-point program by the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D), Ms Kharatyan said the programs are
not so serious as to lead the country out of the current situation
and should have been removed from the political agenda long ago.
"Yes, the ARF-D presented a 7-point program. First, why is it so late?
If they are speaking of the presidential election, it is not
the opposition's claim on elections. Rather, it is a demand," Ms
Kharatyan said.
Neither the opposition nor the authorities are showing their "not
participating" in the presidential election because "there is no real
claim on the political agenda."
As regards the people, Ms Kharatyan said the people's attitude is
"no expectations from either the opposition or the authorities."
Armen Badalyan, an expert in political and election technologies told
Tert.am that a joint opposition candidate is nothing but a "bluff"
used by Armenia's authorities. "The pro-government mass media put it
into circulation," he said.
The problem is not a joint candidate. Rather, it is the voting,
preventing election frauds.
"Those wishing a change of power should carry it out before the
voting. So the issue of a joint candidate or a major candidate is of
secondary importance," Mr Badalyan said.
Armenia's political forces can prevent the authorities from resorting
to election frauds if they are efficiently supported either by the
West or by Russia.
"It is impossible without such support because Armenia's society is
a body weakened 90% and unable to do anything. Nor is it willing to
because it prefers an inert way of changing power, namely, emigration,"
the expert said.
From: Baghdasarian
tert.am
11.12.12
Armenia's opposition forces will not nominate a joint presidential
candidate, the ethnographer and public figure Hranush Haratyan told
Tert.am, as she commented on the recent consultations by different
political forces.
"From the very beginning it was clear that our 'opposition' is not
at all a uniform thing. Nor is it clear what is common in different
political forces' programs," Ms Kharatyan said.
It is obvious that, in the case of presidential candidate, the forces
should at least unite round one idea.
Ms Kharatyan does not know what the main common idea that would cause
different political forces to unite is.
"It is obvious that the process was going on - maneuvering to prevent
finding oneself defeated a few minutes before the election," Ms
Kharatyan said.
Asked if that was deliberate imitation, Ms Kharatyan said that
imitation should have its purpose as well.
"I am sure that, even if they are negotiating, they are not discussing
concrete issues. If they are really negotiating, why are not doing
it publicly?"
As regards the 4-point program by the opposition bloc Armenian National
Congress (ANC) and a 7-point program by the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D), Ms Kharatyan said the programs are
not so serious as to lead the country out of the current situation
and should have been removed from the political agenda long ago.
"Yes, the ARF-D presented a 7-point program. First, why is it so late?
If they are speaking of the presidential election, it is not
the opposition's claim on elections. Rather, it is a demand," Ms
Kharatyan said.
Neither the opposition nor the authorities are showing their "not
participating" in the presidential election because "there is no real
claim on the political agenda."
As regards the people, Ms Kharatyan said the people's attitude is
"no expectations from either the opposition or the authorities."
Armen Badalyan, an expert in political and election technologies told
Tert.am that a joint opposition candidate is nothing but a "bluff"
used by Armenia's authorities. "The pro-government mass media put it
into circulation," he said.
The problem is not a joint candidate. Rather, it is the voting,
preventing election frauds.
"Those wishing a change of power should carry it out before the
voting. So the issue of a joint candidate or a major candidate is of
secondary importance," Mr Badalyan said.
Armenia's political forces can prevent the authorities from resorting
to election frauds if they are efficiently supported either by the
West or by Russia.
"It is impossible without such support because Armenia's society is
a body weakened 90% and unable to do anything. Nor is it willing to
because it prefers an inert way of changing power, namely, emigration,"
the expert said.
From: Baghdasarian