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ARE RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN'S STEPS ADEQUATE TO THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION?
March 11 2013
"A clergyman, a preacher could have done so, but not a politician.
This is everything, but politics; it lacks political content," Ruben
Mehrabyan, an expert of the Center for Political and International
Studies, said during a conversation with www.aravot.am, analyzing
the steps of Raffi Hovhannisyan, the Heritage Party leader. Let us
remind that Raffi Hovhannisyan, the Heritage Party leader, is on a
hunger strike in Freedom Square. Mr. Hovhannisyan also informed that
they would form their own Cabinet of national accord. Mr. Mehrabyan
thinks that R. Hovhannisyan's movement doesn't pursue any political
goals, but slogans, and those tend not to be realized. As for what
situation the steps that are taken can lead to, it was hard for
R. Mehrabyan to predict, and he stated: "The government hasn't taken
an adequate attitude toward all this either. It is a fact that there
is social protest, and one should do something about that. As for the
opposition's hunger strikes etc., I can say that we are dealing with
inadequacy from both sides, and this is dangerous insofar as it clears
the way for nonpolitical, apolitical forces to try to fish in these
troubled waters. Those are forces that don't conceal that they agree
with Putin's idea. And it is enslavement of the Republic of Armenia.
That fifth column is offered a great opportunity to take matters
into its own hands, while the inadequacy of the government and the
opposition persists. Therefore, it is time to come to one's senses."
Tatul Hakobyan, a journalist and an expert, on the other hand, thinks
that R. Hovhannisyan takes steps appropriate for a politician and in
accordance with the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of
Armenia. Then he adds: "Raffi Hovhannisyan, as well as a large part of
citizens of the Republic of Armenia, are convinced that elections have
been rigged in Armenia once again, as it happened in 1996, 2003, and
2008. And he wants to say probably for the first time, not using force,
going on a hunger strike, which is the most radical way of struggle,
that it is time for the Republic of Armenia to have not a de facto,
but a de jure president. He says that the President of the Republic
of Armenia should not take a false oath on the Constitution and the
Bible. R. Hovhannisyan's steps are adequate to the current situation;
moreover, I think that what he does, regardless of what mockery,
ridicule, what response it gets, he takes steps appropriate for a
politician and in accordance with the Constitution and the law."
In response to a question whether R. Hovhannisyan's steps were
convincing, T. Hakobyan said: "I have wandered around with R.
Hovhannisyan in the past ten days as a journalist. During those
meetings, I noticed what popularity he enjoyed. As opposed to Levon
Ter-Petrossian whom roughly 50 percent of the public loves, the other
50 percent hates, there is an absolutely positive attitude toward R.
Hovhannisyan. He thinks that citizens of the Republic of Armenia
voted for him and says that he is ready to fight to the finish. This
peaceful fight is not Raffi's fight, it is a fight of Armenian voters
against the government and the incumbent president, and they say that
it is enough, they don't want to have another rigged election. R.
Hovhannisyan's steps are honest, understandable, justified, and exactly
political steps." T. Hakobyan also noted: "Two poles of government can
be noticed in the Republic of Armenia these days; one is 26 Baghramyan
St., and the other is Freedom Square. If the other political forces
- the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), the Rule of Law Party (RLP),
the Armenian National Congress (ANC), and the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) - state that they stand by the people, one should
note that standing by the people is an unclear formulation.
Those parties should clearly state whether they acknowledge the
results of the February 18 election and whom they are standing by.
Many things will be decided in Freedom Square; the more people there
are, the stronger R. Hovhannsyan's position in the struggle with the
government will be." Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/03/11/152876/
© 1998 - 2013 Aravot - News from Armenia
March 11 2013
"A clergyman, a preacher could have done so, but not a politician.
This is everything, but politics; it lacks political content," Ruben
Mehrabyan, an expert of the Center for Political and International
Studies, said during a conversation with www.aravot.am, analyzing
the steps of Raffi Hovhannisyan, the Heritage Party leader. Let us
remind that Raffi Hovhannisyan, the Heritage Party leader, is on a
hunger strike in Freedom Square. Mr. Hovhannisyan also informed that
they would form their own Cabinet of national accord. Mr. Mehrabyan
thinks that R. Hovhannisyan's movement doesn't pursue any political
goals, but slogans, and those tend not to be realized. As for what
situation the steps that are taken can lead to, it was hard for
R. Mehrabyan to predict, and he stated: "The government hasn't taken
an adequate attitude toward all this either. It is a fact that there
is social protest, and one should do something about that. As for the
opposition's hunger strikes etc., I can say that we are dealing with
inadequacy from both sides, and this is dangerous insofar as it clears
the way for nonpolitical, apolitical forces to try to fish in these
troubled waters. Those are forces that don't conceal that they agree
with Putin's idea. And it is enslavement of the Republic of Armenia.
That fifth column is offered a great opportunity to take matters
into its own hands, while the inadequacy of the government and the
opposition persists. Therefore, it is time to come to one's senses."
Tatul Hakobyan, a journalist and an expert, on the other hand, thinks
that R. Hovhannisyan takes steps appropriate for a politician and in
accordance with the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of
Armenia. Then he adds: "Raffi Hovhannisyan, as well as a large part of
citizens of the Republic of Armenia, are convinced that elections have
been rigged in Armenia once again, as it happened in 1996, 2003, and
2008. And he wants to say probably for the first time, not using force,
going on a hunger strike, which is the most radical way of struggle,
that it is time for the Republic of Armenia to have not a de facto,
but a de jure president. He says that the President of the Republic
of Armenia should not take a false oath on the Constitution and the
Bible. R. Hovhannisyan's steps are adequate to the current situation;
moreover, I think that what he does, regardless of what mockery,
ridicule, what response it gets, he takes steps appropriate for a
politician and in accordance with the Constitution and the law."
In response to a question whether R. Hovhannisyan's steps were
convincing, T. Hakobyan said: "I have wandered around with R.
Hovhannisyan in the past ten days as a journalist. During those
meetings, I noticed what popularity he enjoyed. As opposed to Levon
Ter-Petrossian whom roughly 50 percent of the public loves, the other
50 percent hates, there is an absolutely positive attitude toward R.
Hovhannisyan. He thinks that citizens of the Republic of Armenia
voted for him and says that he is ready to fight to the finish. This
peaceful fight is not Raffi's fight, it is a fight of Armenian voters
against the government and the incumbent president, and they say that
it is enough, they don't want to have another rigged election. R.
Hovhannisyan's steps are honest, understandable, justified, and exactly
political steps." T. Hakobyan also noted: "Two poles of government can
be noticed in the Republic of Armenia these days; one is 26 Baghramyan
St., and the other is Freedom Square. If the other political forces
- the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), the Rule of Law Party (RLP),
the Armenian National Congress (ANC), and the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) - state that they stand by the people, one should
note that standing by the people is an unclear formulation.
Those parties should clearly state whether they acknowledge the
results of the February 18 election and whom they are standing by.
Many things will be decided in Freedom Square; the more people there
are, the stronger R. Hovhannsyan's position in the struggle with the
government will be." Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/03/11/152876/
© 1998 - 2013 Aravot - News from Armenia