Ex-foreign minister of Armenia: In current socio-economic situation
outflow of population to continue
arminfo
Saturday, March 17, 21:30
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) aims to assume the greatest possible
share of responsibility in fashioning the next five years of Armenia's
future. The May elections will indeed be critical for Armenia,
ex-foreign minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, said at the PAP's
congress on Saturday. To recall, Oskanian has recently joined
Prosperous Armenia.
"The National Statistical Service recently issued preliminary results
for the 2011 census, according to which Armenia's population is now
2,871,000. In other words, we've fallen below the 3 million
psychological mark and we can no longer say we are a country of 3
million, because we are not. It is obvious that if, in future years,
Armenia's socio-economic, political and psychological situation
doesn't undergo a categorical change, in the not-too-distant future we
will drop to the 2.5 million mark", Oskanian said.
"We must put a halt to the out migration. In order to do that, we must
answer one question: Why are they leaving? They are leaving because
they have lost hope and faith in the country's future. They are
leaving because of injustices. They are leaving because they have no
trust. They are leaving because they cannot earn their daily bread.
Is it possible that 20 years after independence, our state cannot
ensure its people a life of dignity and justice? Of course it can. Is
it possible that 20 years after independence, our state cannot offer
its people hope and faith in the country's future. Of course it can",
Oskanian said.
"It doesn't take much to do this. We don't need a new constitution, we
don't need new laws. All that is needed is political will on the part
of those who come to power, for them to set aside their personal,
factional and partisan interests and ensure that Armenia's
Constitution and legislation are equally applied to all", he added.
That means that in the economic sphere, the fundamental principles of
a free market are protected: equal opportunity, open competition and
inviolability of private property; and in the political sphere, the
fundamental principles of democracy: justice, tolerance, freedom of
speech and individual freedoms. These are to be the guiding principles
of the Prosperous Party's work in the next five years", he said.
To recall, Oskanian was the foreign minister of Armenia during Robert
Kocharyan's presidency.
outflow of population to continue
arminfo
Saturday, March 17, 21:30
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) aims to assume the greatest possible
share of responsibility in fashioning the next five years of Armenia's
future. The May elections will indeed be critical for Armenia,
ex-foreign minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, said at the PAP's
congress on Saturday. To recall, Oskanian has recently joined
Prosperous Armenia.
"The National Statistical Service recently issued preliminary results
for the 2011 census, according to which Armenia's population is now
2,871,000. In other words, we've fallen below the 3 million
psychological mark and we can no longer say we are a country of 3
million, because we are not. It is obvious that if, in future years,
Armenia's socio-economic, political and psychological situation
doesn't undergo a categorical change, in the not-too-distant future we
will drop to the 2.5 million mark", Oskanian said.
"We must put a halt to the out migration. In order to do that, we must
answer one question: Why are they leaving? They are leaving because
they have lost hope and faith in the country's future. They are
leaving because of injustices. They are leaving because they have no
trust. They are leaving because they cannot earn their daily bread.
Is it possible that 20 years after independence, our state cannot
ensure its people a life of dignity and justice? Of course it can. Is
it possible that 20 years after independence, our state cannot offer
its people hope and faith in the country's future. Of course it can",
Oskanian said.
"It doesn't take much to do this. We don't need a new constitution, we
don't need new laws. All that is needed is political will on the part
of those who come to power, for them to set aside their personal,
factional and partisan interests and ensure that Armenia's
Constitution and legislation are equally applied to all", he added.
That means that in the economic sphere, the fundamental principles of
a free market are protected: equal opportunity, open competition and
inviolability of private property; and in the political sphere, the
fundamental principles of democracy: justice, tolerance, freedom of
speech and individual freedoms. These are to be the guiding principles
of the Prosperous Party's work in the next five years", he said.
To recall, Oskanian was the foreign minister of Armenia during Robert
Kocharyan's presidency.