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Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 8 2013
`I try not to make steps which can embarrass my family'
8 March 2013 - 9:59am
Interview by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The tendency of woman's political role improvement is one the
hallmarks of our time. The chairwoman of the opposition party Gnchak,
MP from the Republican Party of Armenia Margarit Yesayan tells Vestnik
Kavkaza about the role of a woman in the Armenian political life and
the internal situation.
- The post-election processes in Armenia are accompanied by protests
initiated by the former foreign minister, the leader of Heritage Raffi
Ovannisyan. Can these protests turn into a wide socio-political
movement?
- Of course after the presidential elections, a part of society is
happy with the results of the elections, another part is unhappy.
Seven candidates took part in the elections, each of them had
supporters. Ovannisyan who took the second place gained much more
votes than the opposition's leader in 2008. 539 672 people, or 36.75%
of voters, voted for Ovannisyan. They though that their candidate
would win. However, the current president Serge Sargsyan got more than
800 thousand votes.
I hope that Raffi Ovannisyan who is gathering people on the Freedom
Square now realizes that more than a half million votes were given not
to his personality, but against the policy provided by the
authorities. 37% reflects protest voting of the citizens who are not
happy with the socio-economic situation.
A significant role in this context was played by rejection of
participation in the election by more popular politicians - leaders of
the Armenian National Congress and Prosperous Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and Gagik Tsurukyan. I'm sure in case of their
participation the 37% would be shared between other opposition
candidates.
I don't see any logic in Ovannisyan's steps. He doesn't speak about
using force for power capturing, he urges to act within the law. At
the same time, nobody from representatives of Heritage in the election
committees refused to sign final protocols. That is why Ovannisyan's
suit to the Constitutional Court is doomed.
- Are statements on necessity of new parliamentary elections argumentative?
- I don't know anybody who would make statements on new elections
today, except for Ovannisyan and other representatives of Heritage. If
Ovannisyan is speaking about following the law, he should know that
there are no legal reasons for dissolution of the National Assembly
and conducting new parliamentary elections. In the parliamentary
elections of May 6th, 2012, Heritage gained only 5%, but today
Ovannisyan and his supporters are surprised with such a high level of
public trust. I think Ovannisyan hopes that he would maintain these
37% in case of new parliamentary elections, but it is unfair to people
whom he gathered on the square. It would be fairer that Ovannisyan
would try himself in power and take part in a difficult process of
changing the socio-economic situation.
- Do the protest attitudes mean deficit of trust to the authorities by
the society? What is the main problem of the Armenian power today?
- It doesn't matter who would be on Ovannisyan's place, people would
come to the streets anyway because their life is so hard. If people
live poorly, the authorities have a lot of problems. To change life
for the best, the authorities must turn face to people's problems.
They must learn about problems of common people, rather than
oligarchs, bureaucrats, criminal elements, and officials. I think
first of all we should create new jobs, increase salary rates. Social
equality to the law should be restored. The justice system needs
serious reforms.
- What skills compose a female politician's image?
- Politics is not a man's monopoly. Politics and state structures
benefit from active participation of women. There 14 female MPs in the
National Assembly today. It encourages more moderate relations between
opponents, decrease of tension during discussion of bills, women
create a calmer and more positive atmosphere. A female politician has
to be smart, cunning in a good sense, literate, having a delicate
moral system of values which would be strong. A female politician
should see a lot, but not to be a person of many words.
- In Armenia people continue to think politics is a man's business.
Who among your colleagues fill confident in this sphere?
- Unfortunately, today not all women feel confident in politics. Some
of them lack experience, others - political informativeness.
- Do family and politics suit well?
- I have been working as a journalist for 30 years, and this job takes
a lot of time as well. Nothing has changed for me in the sphere of my
household responsibilities now. But when I was a journalist I was free
in my speeches and contacts. Now I experience certain restrictions.
Sometimes my speeches and interview in the mass media are interpreted
ambiguously by some political forces, and I am attacked. II have three
children, and they suffer from attacks at me. I feel responsibility
for my family and try to provide a balanced and independent position
and avoid steps which could embarrass my family.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/37857.html
March 8 2013
`I try not to make steps which can embarrass my family'
8 March 2013 - 9:59am
Interview by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The tendency of woman's political role improvement is one the
hallmarks of our time. The chairwoman of the opposition party Gnchak,
MP from the Republican Party of Armenia Margarit Yesayan tells Vestnik
Kavkaza about the role of a woman in the Armenian political life and
the internal situation.
- The post-election processes in Armenia are accompanied by protests
initiated by the former foreign minister, the leader of Heritage Raffi
Ovannisyan. Can these protests turn into a wide socio-political
movement?
- Of course after the presidential elections, a part of society is
happy with the results of the elections, another part is unhappy.
Seven candidates took part in the elections, each of them had
supporters. Ovannisyan who took the second place gained much more
votes than the opposition's leader in 2008. 539 672 people, or 36.75%
of voters, voted for Ovannisyan. They though that their candidate
would win. However, the current president Serge Sargsyan got more than
800 thousand votes.
I hope that Raffi Ovannisyan who is gathering people on the Freedom
Square now realizes that more than a half million votes were given not
to his personality, but against the policy provided by the
authorities. 37% reflects protest voting of the citizens who are not
happy with the socio-economic situation.
A significant role in this context was played by rejection of
participation in the election by more popular politicians - leaders of
the Armenian National Congress and Prosperous Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and Gagik Tsurukyan. I'm sure in case of their
participation the 37% would be shared between other opposition
candidates.
I don't see any logic in Ovannisyan's steps. He doesn't speak about
using force for power capturing, he urges to act within the law. At
the same time, nobody from representatives of Heritage in the election
committees refused to sign final protocols. That is why Ovannisyan's
suit to the Constitutional Court is doomed.
- Are statements on necessity of new parliamentary elections argumentative?
- I don't know anybody who would make statements on new elections
today, except for Ovannisyan and other representatives of Heritage. If
Ovannisyan is speaking about following the law, he should know that
there are no legal reasons for dissolution of the National Assembly
and conducting new parliamentary elections. In the parliamentary
elections of May 6th, 2012, Heritage gained only 5%, but today
Ovannisyan and his supporters are surprised with such a high level of
public trust. I think Ovannisyan hopes that he would maintain these
37% in case of new parliamentary elections, but it is unfair to people
whom he gathered on the square. It would be fairer that Ovannisyan
would try himself in power and take part in a difficult process of
changing the socio-economic situation.
- Do the protest attitudes mean deficit of trust to the authorities by
the society? What is the main problem of the Armenian power today?
- It doesn't matter who would be on Ovannisyan's place, people would
come to the streets anyway because their life is so hard. If people
live poorly, the authorities have a lot of problems. To change life
for the best, the authorities must turn face to people's problems.
They must learn about problems of common people, rather than
oligarchs, bureaucrats, criminal elements, and officials. I think
first of all we should create new jobs, increase salary rates. Social
equality to the law should be restored. The justice system needs
serious reforms.
- What skills compose a female politician's image?
- Politics is not a man's monopoly. Politics and state structures
benefit from active participation of women. There 14 female MPs in the
National Assembly today. It encourages more moderate relations between
opponents, decrease of tension during discussion of bills, women
create a calmer and more positive atmosphere. A female politician has
to be smart, cunning in a good sense, literate, having a delicate
moral system of values which would be strong. A female politician
should see a lot, but not to be a person of many words.
- In Armenia people continue to think politics is a man's business.
Who among your colleagues fill confident in this sphere?
- Unfortunately, today not all women feel confident in politics. Some
of them lack experience, others - political informativeness.
- Do family and politics suit well?
- I have been working as a journalist for 30 years, and this job takes
a lot of time as well. Nothing has changed for me in the sphere of my
household responsibilities now. But when I was a journalist I was free
in my speeches and contacts. Now I experience certain restrictions.
Sometimes my speeches and interview in the mass media are interpreted
ambiguously by some political forces, and I am attacked. II have three
children, and they suffer from attacks at me. I feel responsibility
for my family and try to provide a balanced and independent position
and avoid steps which could embarrass my family.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/37857.html