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If I Were A Member Of The Republican Party In Armenia...

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  • If I Were A Member Of The Republican Party In Armenia...

    IF I WERE A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN ARMENIA...
    BY MARIA TITIZIAN

    http://asbarez.com/107183/if-i-were-a-member-of-the-republican-party-in-armenia%E2%80%A6/
    Monday, December 17th, 2012 | Posted by Maria Titizian

    Watching the Republican Party of Armenia's (RPA) convention in
    Yerevan on December 15 was reminiscent of an era not too long ago
    when communist party members would hold up their membership cards en
    masse rubber stamping the decisions of the Politburo. I couldn't bear
    to watch it for more than a few minutes at a time as it was being
    broadcast live on H1, the country's public television network. I
    thought to myself that if I were a member of the RPA I would be
    feeling a sense of shame and embarrassment at the condition of the
    country and most importantly at the political farce taking place
    ahead of the presidential elections.

    Sadly, shame, embarrassment and accountability are absent in the
    consciousness of most politicians in Armenia, perhaps around the
    world. The critical difference is that politicians in the West
    are more sophisticated and have much more finesse when it comes
    to shielding their human shortcomings and personal wealth from the
    public eye. Perhaps most wealthy politicians in the West acquired that
    wealth prior to being in politics while others capitalized on their
    connections while in public office to accentuate it. I don't know. In
    our country everything is a little more vulgar, a little more in your
    face and executed with much less sophistication. The key difference is
    that this is our country, our homeland, and our future so the crudeness
    and the apparent lack of integrity are felt even more acutely.

    Alas, trying to disengage, to ignore, to simply change the channel
    and immerse oneself in ignorance is not always possible. Therefore I
    spent most of the following morning reading the transcript of President
    Serzh Sarkisian's speech to the RPA convention where he was officially
    nominated as the party's candidate for the February 2013 presidential
    elections. To be fair, I acknowledge how difficult it must be to lead a
    country like ours that has to overcome a host of pressing challenges,
    especially if you have come to power on a pyramid of patronage, and
    to eliminate any impression that I am taking passages from his speech
    out of context, let me say that had I not been living here, had I not
    been an engaged citizen, I might have considered it to be an uplifting,
    forward-looking speech. But I can't. And for so many reasons.

    Here are a few passages from President's speech at the RPA convention:

    "We were able to bring the country out of the financial and economic
    crisis. We were able to ease the tax burden for small and medium
    enterprises." If we have navigated the country out of the financial
    and economic crisis, how can the current rates of unemployment and
    inflation be explained? According to an Armenia Now article published
    in the summer of 2012, there are more than 100,000 small and medium
    enterprises (SME) in Armenia of which only 20 percent contribute to
    the state budget while the rest are simply on paper "with no economic
    activities." The SMEs that do have economic activity in the country are
    constrained by a number of factors including the tight lending criteria
    of Armenian banks that focus their lending on larger corporations
    and by questionable market competitiveness. And while easing the tax
    burden for SMEs might seem promising on paper, in practice they are
    the center of attention of tax inspectors who always manage to turn
    a blind eye to the larger, more powerful and politically-connected
    business enterprises that skillfully practice alleged tax evasion.

    "We were able to save thousands of jobs in the mining and construction
    sectors; provide a serious impetus to the creation of new jobs in
    food production and light industry; were able to keep our financial
    system intact; were able to do things that even much more powerful
    countries failed to accomplish." Granted, Armenia's banking system
    did not collapse and we still continue to have economic performance,
    the question remains as to where all those new jobs are and why people
    continue to leave the country in the tens of thousands citing economic
    insecurity and a lack of faith in the future.

    "We brought modern, high-quality medical service to the marzes
    of Armenia; created guarantees for a dignified old age for working
    citizens through the introduction of a new funded pension system." If
    the president says that they brought modern, high-quality medical
    services to the regions of the country, I believe him but it might
    have been more efficient if they were able to ensure that qualified
    doctors and nurses came along with those services as there is a
    serious shortfall of medical personnel, especially in remote areas.

    The majority of pensioners today live below the poverty line, they
    can't afford to heat their homes in the cold winter months and neither
    do they live a dignified life. By privatizing the country's pension
    plan, what guarantees do workers under the age of 40 (who must take
    part in the new pension system to be introduced in 2014) have against
    severe market fluctuations when they turn 65 and find that their
    pension fund is no longer viable? Will they have to depend on state
    hand-outs to ensure that they receive the minimum benefit to survive?

    "We have started, step by step, to marginalize the corruption and abuse
    that were getting rooted in our country for decades. We encouraged and
    promoted young and well-educated politicians and statesmen." I would
    like to know what those steps are, and when does this administration
    expect to muster the political will to implement them? And yes, there
    are several young and well-educated politicians today in parliament
    and in the executive from RPA ranks who for some reason are always
    ready to act like arrogant schoolyard bullies against all those who
    deign to express their opinion of the ruling regime.

    "We have commenced reforms in the most complex and important areas,
    starting with the police and the judiciary. We demanded that our police
    serve the people in a new way, conscientiously." Then why are there so
    many unsolved murder cases, why do the police continue to take bribes
    (and this includes traffic police) and can we conscientiously say
    that the judiciary is free and independent?

    The president acknowledges that while there has been "noticeable
    change in the country" over the past five years, it has not been
    enough and yet he goes on to say: "We have been able to make Armenia
    incomparably more attractive for businesses and a more dependable
    country for investments." According to the U.S. State Department's
    2012 Investment Climate Statement while the Armenian government
    asserts that it welcomes foreign investment and the country is
    considered a place to do business according to some global indices,
    Armenia's "investment climate poses several significant challenges:
    a population of just three million; relative geographic isolation...per
    capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $3,000; and high levels of
    corruption in both official and commercial spheres. Foreign businesses
    must frequently contend with tax and customs processes that lack
    transparency and add to costs; the court system lacks independence,
    making it an unreliable forum for resolution of disputes... Major
    sectors of Armenia's economy are controlled by well-connected
    businessmen-some of them members of parliament or other high-ranking
    officials-who enjoy government-protected market dominance. This raises
    barriers to new entrants, limits consumer choice, and discourages
    investments by multinational firms that insist on partnering with
    politically-independent businesses. The [Armenian government] has
    also on occasion deployed government agencies, including the tax and
    customs services, against political opponents."

    "All our steps are directed toward the people, toward the citizens of
    Armenia. All our efforts are for the people, our compatriots, their
    well-being. We have never followed parochial partisan objectives."

    This one doesn't require any further commentary.

    "The organization and conduct of good, fair elections is our first
    and foremost priority. We have received excellent reactions to our
    latest parliamentary elections. It is inspiring. Today as a state,
    we are capable of conducting elections based on free competition, near
    absolute freedom of expression and unrestricted expression of will."

    Perhaps the president's speech writer forgot to mention the critical
    role voter bribes played during the May 2012 parliamentary elections.

    An article that appeared on RFERL states: "The May 6 parliamentary
    ballot failed, however, to measure up to those expectations. Indeed,
    in two key respects it appears to have been more seriously flawed
    than the previous parliamentary election in 2007...There were numerous
    reports of vote-buying by the HHK [RPA]."

    "This is the Armenia, which is watched by millions of Armenians
    living abroad. They watch us with hope, desire and anticipation of
    positive changes. Sometimes, we are watched through a magnifying glass;
    they rejoice and despair with us, and they are right. The power of
    the Motherland is a great power." This administration's continuing
    support of the oligarchy, its inability to establish the rule of law
    and social justice coupled with complacency by the general public makes
    me wonder if 2013 will be a year to rejoice. As a Diaspora Armenian,
    as a repatriate, a dual citizen, a person who has put her faith in this
    country, I am so ready to rejoice because like every other Armenian,
    I am so tired of despairing. Like most people I have little faith
    that anything will change following the presidential elections in
    February but that doesn't mean I've lost hope because the power of
    the Motherland sustains me, at least for the time being.

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