Tweet
ARMENIAN LEADER SLAMS PM
Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 25 2012
Russia
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has criticized structures regulating
state purchases. Sargsyan made harsh orders to resolve the problem
of Armenians arriving from Syria.
The president promised to repeat such activities, noting that
many violations have been uncovered by the Control Service for
state purchases. Sargsyan ordered the heads of ministries and other
structures to explain to their employees that further violations will
be punished with dismissals. In response, the prime minister said,
"Your evaluations, Mister President, are sobering, they make us all
introduce major changes to our work and we will doubtlessly make them".
The president's council for slamming the government was viewed
skeptically by society or as a PR step for the upcoming presidential
polls and the resignation of government. But emphasis was put on the
prime minister's possible responses after the president's criticism.
The Republican Party of Armenia says that the president is forcing
the PM to take further steps to limit the despotism of the oligarchy.
Unable to fight the oligarchs using political instruments, the
president probably hopes that the prime minister will use economic
ones. In any case, the president's criticism had a sobering effect
on the government, which has not taken a single step to strengthen
the Armenian economy in the last four years. In fact, the president
accused the prime minister of bribe-taking and money-wasting and
now the latter has nothing to do but announce the names of people
responsible for the violations. But the prime minister continues to
remain silent and does not plan to give names. The political class
of Armenia is not used to responsibility for words and actions, an
open fight with bribery by giving out names is unlikely. Thus, the
well-staged slamming seems like the first explanation of developments.
This version is strengthened by the fact that similar reproaches and
accusations of violations and the existence of political and economic
monopolies of the government have been numerous. But action has never
been taken afterwards. This is because most of the bribers among the
oligarchs are sitting in parliament or some other branches of power.
The Control Chamber traditionally unmasks such thefts from the budget,
but there is never a punishment for such violations.
Lack of political, social, legal institutions in Armenia and a poverty
level of 38% demonstrate that the republic cannot be called a social
state. Apart from the president's evaluation, the public would like
to see solutions. These solutions form a logic, especially taking
into account the fact that the government has been facing a budget
deficit in the last few months. This is why mass media are filled
with rumours that the government is trying to receive a loan worth
a billion from Russia.
The appearance of the will to punish oligarchs and their interests
is not surprising. The oligarchs have become the foundation of the
shameful political and economic system of Armenia since 1998. But
after the resignation of Robert Kocharyan, some oligarchs got out of
governmental control, which was a major blow. The government strikes
at disobedient rich people from time to time. But President Sargsyan
cannot establish full control over them. The president would like
the premier to shake them a little, for example, by accusing them
of economic crimes. But Sargsyan has either failed or never wanted
to take the mining industry and other large markets under control in
four years. The prime minister should either shake up a few oligarchs
or admit that it is impossible.
This is why the president's meeting casts doubts as to whether the
government will be dismissed before the presidential polls.
Dissolution of the government was logical earlier, but it may now
happen much earlier than February 2013. The PM's resignation could
satisfy and inspire many to support the president in February.
The president's criticism may also be considered a step towards
Gagik Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia. But it may also be viewed at a
different angle, because the president did not dismiss the government
and was satisfied with promises of improvement. Thus, the president
has taken responsibility for the government and made it clear that
he does not plan to make a scapegoat out of the premier. Changing
the PM would become a new pillar in the pyramid of power, especially
taking into account the fact that replacing Sargsyan with Kocharyan
as Prime minister would hardly cause a socio-economic effect. Keeping
the prime minister in power benefits Prosperous Armenia. Tsarukyan
is avoiding any criticism of the president.
The problem of Armenia is not lack of criticism of the government.
Criticism is acceptable. Some functionaries unfavourable in the
government are losing their positions and resigning. But their
resignation does not change the system. People willing to replace
a certain official (minister or prime minister) should think about
what they would gain. Economic development has never been a topic
of public discussions in Armenia. Agriculture, IT, tourism are the
main priorities officially, but in reality, the economy exists only
thanks to sales of natural resources and financial operations. Banks
are the most profitable area in Armenia. Non-ferrous metals are the
main exports. The fact that the government has little part in this
profitable sphere proves that it is prone to bribery.
The banksthat the authorities are so proud of are not far behind the
mining operations. They speculate on currencies, financial operations
and high-interest loans. Despite the population's reduction of income,
banks have sustainably high profits, even against the background
of the global recession. The real owners of the shares of the 21
commercial banks in Armenia are usually unknown to the public.
Bribes in the mining industry and banking have become unofficial
priorities of "economic development" in Armenia, while the concept
of economic development of the social state should be based on the
spheres that are increasing the income of as many people as possible.
This concerns agriculture, light industry, information technologies,
tourism and the IT industry. Opening the Armenian economy to
investments requires non-interference in people's affairs. This is
what the president should have discussed with the prime minister,
because bribes are a symptom, not the root of the problem.
David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for VK
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/31819.html
From: Baghdasarian
Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 25 2012
Russia
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has criticized structures regulating
state purchases. Sargsyan made harsh orders to resolve the problem
of Armenians arriving from Syria.
The president promised to repeat such activities, noting that
many violations have been uncovered by the Control Service for
state purchases. Sargsyan ordered the heads of ministries and other
structures to explain to their employees that further violations will
be punished with dismissals. In response, the prime minister said,
"Your evaluations, Mister President, are sobering, they make us all
introduce major changes to our work and we will doubtlessly make them".
The president's council for slamming the government was viewed
skeptically by society or as a PR step for the upcoming presidential
polls and the resignation of government. But emphasis was put on the
prime minister's possible responses after the president's criticism.
The Republican Party of Armenia says that the president is forcing
the PM to take further steps to limit the despotism of the oligarchy.
Unable to fight the oligarchs using political instruments, the
president probably hopes that the prime minister will use economic
ones. In any case, the president's criticism had a sobering effect
on the government, which has not taken a single step to strengthen
the Armenian economy in the last four years. In fact, the president
accused the prime minister of bribe-taking and money-wasting and
now the latter has nothing to do but announce the names of people
responsible for the violations. But the prime minister continues to
remain silent and does not plan to give names. The political class
of Armenia is not used to responsibility for words and actions, an
open fight with bribery by giving out names is unlikely. Thus, the
well-staged slamming seems like the first explanation of developments.
This version is strengthened by the fact that similar reproaches and
accusations of violations and the existence of political and economic
monopolies of the government have been numerous. But action has never
been taken afterwards. This is because most of the bribers among the
oligarchs are sitting in parliament or some other branches of power.
The Control Chamber traditionally unmasks such thefts from the budget,
but there is never a punishment for such violations.
Lack of political, social, legal institutions in Armenia and a poverty
level of 38% demonstrate that the republic cannot be called a social
state. Apart from the president's evaluation, the public would like
to see solutions. These solutions form a logic, especially taking
into account the fact that the government has been facing a budget
deficit in the last few months. This is why mass media are filled
with rumours that the government is trying to receive a loan worth
a billion from Russia.
The appearance of the will to punish oligarchs and their interests
is not surprising. The oligarchs have become the foundation of the
shameful political and economic system of Armenia since 1998. But
after the resignation of Robert Kocharyan, some oligarchs got out of
governmental control, which was a major blow. The government strikes
at disobedient rich people from time to time. But President Sargsyan
cannot establish full control over them. The president would like
the premier to shake them a little, for example, by accusing them
of economic crimes. But Sargsyan has either failed or never wanted
to take the mining industry and other large markets under control in
four years. The prime minister should either shake up a few oligarchs
or admit that it is impossible.
This is why the president's meeting casts doubts as to whether the
government will be dismissed before the presidential polls.
Dissolution of the government was logical earlier, but it may now
happen much earlier than February 2013. The PM's resignation could
satisfy and inspire many to support the president in February.
The president's criticism may also be considered a step towards
Gagik Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia. But it may also be viewed at a
different angle, because the president did not dismiss the government
and was satisfied with promises of improvement. Thus, the president
has taken responsibility for the government and made it clear that
he does not plan to make a scapegoat out of the premier. Changing
the PM would become a new pillar in the pyramid of power, especially
taking into account the fact that replacing Sargsyan with Kocharyan
as Prime minister would hardly cause a socio-economic effect. Keeping
the prime minister in power benefits Prosperous Armenia. Tsarukyan
is avoiding any criticism of the president.
The problem of Armenia is not lack of criticism of the government.
Criticism is acceptable. Some functionaries unfavourable in the
government are losing their positions and resigning. But their
resignation does not change the system. People willing to replace
a certain official (minister or prime minister) should think about
what they would gain. Economic development has never been a topic
of public discussions in Armenia. Agriculture, IT, tourism are the
main priorities officially, but in reality, the economy exists only
thanks to sales of natural resources and financial operations. Banks
are the most profitable area in Armenia. Non-ferrous metals are the
main exports. The fact that the government has little part in this
profitable sphere proves that it is prone to bribery.
The banksthat the authorities are so proud of are not far behind the
mining operations. They speculate on currencies, financial operations
and high-interest loans. Despite the population's reduction of income,
banks have sustainably high profits, even against the background
of the global recession. The real owners of the shares of the 21
commercial banks in Armenia are usually unknown to the public.
Bribes in the mining industry and banking have become unofficial
priorities of "economic development" in Armenia, while the concept
of economic development of the social state should be based on the
spheres that are increasing the income of as many people as possible.
This concerns agriculture, light industry, information technologies,
tourism and the IT industry. Opening the Armenian economy to
investments requires non-interference in people's affairs. This is
what the president should have discussed with the prime minister,
because bribes are a symptom, not the root of the problem.
David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for VK
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/31819.html
From: Baghdasarian