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ARMENIAN PRESIDENT IS "LAST OF THE MOHICANS" OF KARABAKH ELITE - POLITICAL SCIENTIST
NEWS.AM
March 05, 2013 | 13:31
YEREVAN. - The social demand for reforms and changes in Armenia is
powerful and the status quo is no longer acceptable, Regional Studies
Center Director, political analyst Richard Giragosian stated during
a press conference on Tuesday.
Giragosian stressed that the authorities need to understand that
they have to be more accountable, but the opposition likewise should
be accountable.
"The decisions that are made today will impact the generations to
come. There was no huge discussion on key matters even during this
[presidential] election. This was an insulting [election] campaign
[season] for each and every Armenian. This was a battle between
individuals, not ideas," he noted.
The analyst also predicted two possible scenarios as a result of
the current post-election situation in the country. First is when
the motivation and the initiative are on the side of the opposition,
and the pressure put on the authorities will continue. But, at the
same time, this is an opportunity also for President Serzh Sargsyan.
"During his second tenure, President Sargsyan has become 'The Last of
the Mohicans,' the last representative of the [Nagorno-]Karabakh elite,
and the political change has started. [But] the next political elite
[of Armenia], which has not come from Nagorno-Karabakh, will not
necessarily be better and more democratic," he noted.
As per Giragosian, the second scenario is when opposition Heritage
Party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian-who is declared runner-up to the
winner, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the
presidential election that was conducted on February 18, but who
claims to be the real winner in the vote-would acts as an agent of
change. He stressed that both the authorities and the opposition face
the challenge of presenting a clear strategy. And the second thing
that makes them resemble one another is that both have one common
enemy: the oligarchs.
In Richard Giragosian's words, it is no longer effective to gather
thousands at capital city Yerevan's Liberty Square, but even if the
people go home, the initiative will not fade away.
NEWS.AM
March 05, 2013 | 13:31
YEREVAN. - The social demand for reforms and changes in Armenia is
powerful and the status quo is no longer acceptable, Regional Studies
Center Director, political analyst Richard Giragosian stated during
a press conference on Tuesday.
Giragosian stressed that the authorities need to understand that
they have to be more accountable, but the opposition likewise should
be accountable.
"The decisions that are made today will impact the generations to
come. There was no huge discussion on key matters even during this
[presidential] election. This was an insulting [election] campaign
[season] for each and every Armenian. This was a battle between
individuals, not ideas," he noted.
The analyst also predicted two possible scenarios as a result of
the current post-election situation in the country. First is when
the motivation and the initiative are on the side of the opposition,
and the pressure put on the authorities will continue. But, at the
same time, this is an opportunity also for President Serzh Sargsyan.
"During his second tenure, President Sargsyan has become 'The Last of
the Mohicans,' the last representative of the [Nagorno-]Karabakh elite,
and the political change has started. [But] the next political elite
[of Armenia], which has not come from Nagorno-Karabakh, will not
necessarily be better and more democratic," he noted.
As per Giragosian, the second scenario is when opposition Heritage
Party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian-who is declared runner-up to the
winner, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the
presidential election that was conducted on February 18, but who
claims to be the real winner in the vote-would acts as an agent of
change. He stressed that both the authorities and the opposition face
the challenge of presenting a clear strategy. And the second thing
that makes them resemble one another is that both have one common
enemy: the oligarchs.
In Richard Giragosian's words, it is no longer effective to gather
thousands at capital city Yerevan's Liberty Square, but even if the
people go home, the initiative will not fade away.