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"THE STATEMENT ON REMOVING THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR FROM YEREVAN WAS MADE BY IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE"
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
July 18 2013
18 July 2013 - 9:49am
Interview by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
In Yerevan a protest action took place in front of the Russian
embassy. Its participants are dissatisfied with the incarceration
conditions of Grachya Arutyunyan, who is accused of a traffic accident
near Podolsk, in which 18 people died. They demanded respect for the
accused, who appeared in the court dressed in a woman's nightgown
(the only clothes which doctors could find) and suggested that the
Russian ambassador Ivan Volynkin wear a nightgown and leave Armenia.
Vestnik Kavkaza asked Armenian political scientist David Petrosyan
to comment on the situation.
- The traffic accident in Novaya Moscow caused a protest action. What
is the reason for the tension between Moscow and Yerevan?
- Three aspects of Armenian-Russian relations appeared almost at
one and the same time. First of all, there is the increase in gas
prices. Officially the new price was adopted on July 7th, while the
talks took a lot of time, and in reality the gas price was increased
earlier, but the Armenian authorities hid this for political reasons,
i.e. because of the elections. The deal on increasing gas prices,
as always, was semi-transparent, i.e. society wasn't informed in
advance; moreover, top officials stated ahead of the elections that
it wasn't true.
Secondly, a commercial deal for a billion dollars on selling Russian
arms was signed between Moscow and Baku.
Thirdly, while public opinion still hadn't recovered from the deals
mentioned, a traffic accident with 18 victims took place, and the
only guilty person was recognized driver Gracya Arutynyan; and the
Russian online media emphasized his nationality.
- How can protests in Yerevan influence the relations between our
countries? For example, some social activists state that the Russian
ambassador should be removed from Armenia.
- The first reports in the Russian mass media, especially in Olga
Sabeyev's reports, emphasised the nationality of the driver, but that
wasn't what stirred up the Armenian society. The society was indignant
that the driver was taken to the court in a woman's nightgown. It
was considered mockery. Remembering the emphasis on his nationality,
it was considered mockery of all Armenians, i.e. Armenia perceived
it as a clear anti-Armenian trend. Granted the deals mentioned,
it led to protests in front of the Russian embassy.
The statement on removing the Russian ambassador from Yerevan was
made by irresponsible people. But there were no such statements at
the demonstration. The statement won't lead to any problems because
it was voiced by unserious people.
In fact a painful thing has happened, but it has happened because
the Russian state structures are not interested in public opinion
in Armenia. The Armenian authorities are not interested in public
opinion either. Both the Russian and Armenian authorities think that
Armenian-Russian relations are relations between leaderships. However,
these relations are first of all between societies.
- What should be done to take the heat off?
- First of all, we should calm down and analyze the situation. There
are no completely independent mass media or television either in
Russia or in Armenia, and their policy is determined by the state. So,
they should meet and mutually determine the policy, as they think
Russian-Armenian relations are between the authorities only.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/42771.html
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
July 18 2013
18 July 2013 - 9:49am
Interview by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
In Yerevan a protest action took place in front of the Russian
embassy. Its participants are dissatisfied with the incarceration
conditions of Grachya Arutyunyan, who is accused of a traffic accident
near Podolsk, in which 18 people died. They demanded respect for the
accused, who appeared in the court dressed in a woman's nightgown
(the only clothes which doctors could find) and suggested that the
Russian ambassador Ivan Volynkin wear a nightgown and leave Armenia.
Vestnik Kavkaza asked Armenian political scientist David Petrosyan
to comment on the situation.
- The traffic accident in Novaya Moscow caused a protest action. What
is the reason for the tension between Moscow and Yerevan?
- Three aspects of Armenian-Russian relations appeared almost at
one and the same time. First of all, there is the increase in gas
prices. Officially the new price was adopted on July 7th, while the
talks took a lot of time, and in reality the gas price was increased
earlier, but the Armenian authorities hid this for political reasons,
i.e. because of the elections. The deal on increasing gas prices,
as always, was semi-transparent, i.e. society wasn't informed in
advance; moreover, top officials stated ahead of the elections that
it wasn't true.
Secondly, a commercial deal for a billion dollars on selling Russian
arms was signed between Moscow and Baku.
Thirdly, while public opinion still hadn't recovered from the deals
mentioned, a traffic accident with 18 victims took place, and the
only guilty person was recognized driver Gracya Arutynyan; and the
Russian online media emphasized his nationality.
- How can protests in Yerevan influence the relations between our
countries? For example, some social activists state that the Russian
ambassador should be removed from Armenia.
- The first reports in the Russian mass media, especially in Olga
Sabeyev's reports, emphasised the nationality of the driver, but that
wasn't what stirred up the Armenian society. The society was indignant
that the driver was taken to the court in a woman's nightgown. It
was considered mockery. Remembering the emphasis on his nationality,
it was considered mockery of all Armenians, i.e. Armenia perceived
it as a clear anti-Armenian trend. Granted the deals mentioned,
it led to protests in front of the Russian embassy.
The statement on removing the Russian ambassador from Yerevan was
made by irresponsible people. But there were no such statements at
the demonstration. The statement won't lead to any problems because
it was voiced by unserious people.
In fact a painful thing has happened, but it has happened because
the Russian state structures are not interested in public opinion
in Armenia. The Armenian authorities are not interested in public
opinion either. Both the Russian and Armenian authorities think that
Armenian-Russian relations are relations between leaderships. However,
these relations are first of all between societies.
- What should be done to take the heat off?
- First of all, we should calm down and analyze the situation. There
are no completely independent mass media or television either in
Russia or in Armenia, and their policy is determined by the state. So,
they should meet and mutually determine the policy, as they think
Russian-Armenian relations are between the authorities only.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/42771.html