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Hrant Bagratyan - 'I'll be at Freedom Square on Sunday with the people'
http://hetq.am/eng/news/23772/hrant-bagratyan---ill-be-at-freedom-square-on-sunday-with-the-people.html
00:41, February 24, 2013
Hrant Bagratyan, the candidate who came in third in the February 18
presidential election, has excoriated Serzh Sargsyan's five years in
office as a failure both economically and in terms of advancing social
justice.
Here's the translation of his post:
The atmosphere in Freedom Square is getting hotter. While the rallies
haven't reached the peaks seen in 2008, I believe they are more
decisive.
Some had pinned hopes on Sargsyan in 2008. He was the new president
and against the inhumane backdrop of Robert Kocharian, it seemed that
Sargsyan's humane characteristics weren't out of place. There was also
the opinion that, taking into account the brutalities of March 1, he
would try to compensate the people to some degree with just governance
and would make concessions on election issues. That he would change
the initial distribution of revenues in favour of the people, that he
would curb the oligarchic system, and that he would rein in the powers
of district leaders and purveyors of lies.
This is the picture of the past five years: Instead of the promised
for 100% additional economic growth, we have 4%. Instead of real
double revenue growth we have 11%. On the issue of pensions the
picture is a tiny bit better, but here too the growth is three times
less than promised. It is sufficient to focus on official reports
regarding the widespread consolidation of manufacturing and trade.
By the way, starting from a certain level of economic consolidation,
any growth is a waste of resources. Truly, what is the benefit of a
similar development when its results wind up going to the oligarchs
who, with some exceptions, as a rule take that money overseas? You
can't make the prime minister and some of the ministers understand
this because it is outside their realm of capability. The only thing
accomplished by Serzh Sargsyan has been a tranquil foreign policy and
the apparent lack of personal aggrandizement.
Given all this, should we be surprised by the February 18 election
results? In Artashat, for example, real terror reigned. On February
18, four of my proxies were taken. They slashed the tires of the car
of attorney Tigran Yegoryan in order to prevent him from taking
materials to the election district committee.
They were attacking my campaign offices and later revealed the `guilty
party' by providing the names of some youth. Karo Karapetyan, Jonik
Abrahamyan, Samvel Karapetyan and Andranik Sargsyan were battling it
out amongst themselves to see who would win in which polling precinct.
In Avshar, the well-known brothers organized open balloting.
In Yerevan's Erebouni, Silachi, Malatya and Avan districts, the
regime's `connected underlings' were in a race to prove their loyalty
to Serzh Sargsyan by `facilitating' high vote percentages in his
favour. In Yeghvard, citizens who had resided abroad for more than
fifteen years were voting. Some of them have long since passed from
this world. As a result, we got what we got.
Today, the people have won. They didn't act as the authorities would
have like them to. Freedom Square is overflowing. The time has come
for Serzh Sargsyan and the authorities to understand that these are
also their people.
They should understand and come to Freedom Square. It is the best
opportunity to be with the people and to launch systematic change. Why
shouldn't we liberate ourselves from the above mentioned individuals?
Why shouldn't political life undergo democratization? Why shouldn't
the economy be decentralized? Why shouldn't we be free of bogus
reformers?
The meeting between Serzh Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian has taken
place. Why shouldn't Raffi Hovannisian be given all the decisive and
sure-fire possibilities to fix the country? The blueprint can be
agreed upon. Why shouldn't new elections be declared, including
elections for the National Assembly? If the majority in the current
National Assembly so desired, it could pass a law stating that 2+2=5.
There is no opposition. The National Assembly procedural code is about
not passing laws...not about passing them. Why shouldn't we declare
that any district authority or oligarch who illegally intervenes in
Yerevan Municipal Council elections will be punished on the spot?
Is it our hope that once again the people will leave Freedom Square
empty handed? There's still time. Serzh Sargsyan and the authorities
can change things.
P.S. Regardless of whether I post it or not, my heart and soul is with
the people. I will be at Freedom Square tomorrow. Now, I state that
which I deem correct. I believe that something will be achieved.
From: A. Papazian
http://hetq.am/eng/news/23772/hrant-bagratyan---ill-be-at-freedom-square-on-sunday-with-the-people.html
00:41, February 24, 2013
Hrant Bagratyan, the candidate who came in third in the February 18
presidential election, has excoriated Serzh Sargsyan's five years in
office as a failure both economically and in terms of advancing social
justice.
Here's the translation of his post:
The atmosphere in Freedom Square is getting hotter. While the rallies
haven't reached the peaks seen in 2008, I believe they are more
decisive.
Some had pinned hopes on Sargsyan in 2008. He was the new president
and against the inhumane backdrop of Robert Kocharian, it seemed that
Sargsyan's humane characteristics weren't out of place. There was also
the opinion that, taking into account the brutalities of March 1, he
would try to compensate the people to some degree with just governance
and would make concessions on election issues. That he would change
the initial distribution of revenues in favour of the people, that he
would curb the oligarchic system, and that he would rein in the powers
of district leaders and purveyors of lies.
This is the picture of the past five years: Instead of the promised
for 100% additional economic growth, we have 4%. Instead of real
double revenue growth we have 11%. On the issue of pensions the
picture is a tiny bit better, but here too the growth is three times
less than promised. It is sufficient to focus on official reports
regarding the widespread consolidation of manufacturing and trade.
By the way, starting from a certain level of economic consolidation,
any growth is a waste of resources. Truly, what is the benefit of a
similar development when its results wind up going to the oligarchs
who, with some exceptions, as a rule take that money overseas? You
can't make the prime minister and some of the ministers understand
this because it is outside their realm of capability. The only thing
accomplished by Serzh Sargsyan has been a tranquil foreign policy and
the apparent lack of personal aggrandizement.
Given all this, should we be surprised by the February 18 election
results? In Artashat, for example, real terror reigned. On February
18, four of my proxies were taken. They slashed the tires of the car
of attorney Tigran Yegoryan in order to prevent him from taking
materials to the election district committee.
They were attacking my campaign offices and later revealed the `guilty
party' by providing the names of some youth. Karo Karapetyan, Jonik
Abrahamyan, Samvel Karapetyan and Andranik Sargsyan were battling it
out amongst themselves to see who would win in which polling precinct.
In Avshar, the well-known brothers organized open balloting.
In Yerevan's Erebouni, Silachi, Malatya and Avan districts, the
regime's `connected underlings' were in a race to prove their loyalty
to Serzh Sargsyan by `facilitating' high vote percentages in his
favour. In Yeghvard, citizens who had resided abroad for more than
fifteen years were voting. Some of them have long since passed from
this world. As a result, we got what we got.
Today, the people have won. They didn't act as the authorities would
have like them to. Freedom Square is overflowing. The time has come
for Serzh Sargsyan and the authorities to understand that these are
also their people.
They should understand and come to Freedom Square. It is the best
opportunity to be with the people and to launch systematic change. Why
shouldn't we liberate ourselves from the above mentioned individuals?
Why shouldn't political life undergo democratization? Why shouldn't
the economy be decentralized? Why shouldn't we be free of bogus
reformers?
The meeting between Serzh Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian has taken
place. Why shouldn't Raffi Hovannisian be given all the decisive and
sure-fire possibilities to fix the country? The blueprint can be
agreed upon. Why shouldn't new elections be declared, including
elections for the National Assembly? If the majority in the current
National Assembly so desired, it could pass a law stating that 2+2=5.
There is no opposition. The National Assembly procedural code is about
not passing laws...not about passing them. Why shouldn't we declare
that any district authority or oligarch who illegally intervenes in
Yerevan Municipal Council elections will be punished on the spot?
Is it our hope that once again the people will leave Freedom Square
empty handed? There's still time. Serzh Sargsyan and the authorities
can change things.
P.S. Regardless of whether I post it or not, my heart and soul is with
the people. I will be at Freedom Square tomorrow. Now, I state that
which I deem correct. I believe that something will be achieved.
From: A. Papazian