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LEVON ZURABYAN: CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN ARMENIA AS A KEY TO ENSURE 'POWER FOR LIFE' FOR SERZH SARGSYAN?
Interview of the head of the Armenian National Congress parliamentary
faction Levon Zurabyan with Arminfo news agency
by Ashot Safaryan
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=AC3D96B0-317C-11E3-93E60EB7C0D21663
Thursday, October 10, 11:22
Mr Zurabyan, the authorities of Armenia reiterate many times about
their readiness to sign the association Agreement in Vilnius, whereas
the Europeans do not support such passion saying it is impossible to
separate the political component of the Association Agreement from
the economical one - DCFTA. What are the possible scenarios of the
process? Will any document be signed in Vilnius?
In the wake of unhealthy secrecy of negotiations with EU, it is
difficult to forecast anything ahead of Vilnius Summit. The ruling
regime in Armenia keeps in secrecy the content of the negotiations with
the European Union. In the wake of such unhealthy confidentiality,
it is very difficult to forecasts if any document will be signed
in Vilnius or not. The genuine efforts had been made to prepare the
country for signing the Association Agreement with the EU, including
DCFTA, for 3.5 years. All this paled into insignificance overnight,
after Serzh Sargsyan adopted a decision to access the Customs Union. I
do not think it normal that such decisions are not discussed with the
Armenian public and political forces. Serzh Sargsyan has entered some
secret deals, which has shattered confidence of European partners
in Armenia. Sargsyan said one thing in Moscow and another thing in
Brussels. He negotiated with the EU concealing the key elements of
that process from Moscow. Now, it has turned out that he negotiated
also for accession to the Customs Union and concealed it from Brussels.
But the Europeans said nothing about the points of this document...
I am sure that this would never happen in a democratic country. The
president and the foreign minister of a democratic country would
inform the people at least of the basic provisions of the document
to be signed and the country's course for the coming years.
How much realistic is Armenia's joining the Customs Union taking into
consideration the absence of the common border?
The Armenian public knows nothing about what is the Customs Union, how
they will settle the key problems, including absence of borders with
other Customs Union member-states. Actually, two factors determined
the decision to access the Customs Union - security of Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh and Serzh Sargsyan's vulnerability to external
pressure, including from Russia, because of his illegitimate power.
Did the president adopt a decision on setting up of the commission for
constitution reforms as a step towards the parliamentary government
system?
The goal of the Constitutional reform in Armenia is to ensure 'power
for life' for Serzh Sargsyan. The president of Armenia is approaching
the end of his tenure and is gradually losing his influence. That
is why he has recently adopted a decision to set up a Commission
for Constitutional Reform to change the system of government in the
country from the presidential to the parliamentary one.Sargsyan's
team is extremely concerned about who will come to replace Sargsyan
on the post of the president. Discrepancies inside the ruling party
will keep growing. Such situation is called a 'lame duck syndrome'
in the US political science. Serzh Sargsyan's evident failures have
even more exacerbated that syndrome and increase overall nervousness
in the Republican Party. Therefore, they pulled that gimmick with
transition to the parliamentary system of government. It was a peculiar
alarm to Sargsyan's team, which means that the president will retain
his power in a new status of the prime minister. The decision to set
up the Commission for Constitutional Reforms has become a peculiar
lifebelt for the 'lame duck'". I am confident that the public must
realize the danger of that step by the RPA leader. In a parliamentary
republic, a party can participate in the parliamentary elections
without any restrictions and terms. I recommend those who support
the parliamentary system of government to think well before helping
Serzh Sargsyan to get "power for life".
Let's talk about the role of the opposition in this situation. Will
it going to confront such attempts?
Everybody noticed that the entrance of the Armenian National Congress
in the National Assembly promoted much the consolidation of all
the opposition factions on the key issues. The four factions - ANC,
Prosperous Armenia, Heritage and ARF Dashnaktiutyun voted against the
programme of the government, against adoption of the budget in the form
submitted by the government. These factions voted for adoption of the
draft law on setting up of the commission to investigate tragic events
in March 2008. They also voted for adoption of the new Electoral Code
which would make it possible to reduce the possibility of the election
fraud much. They also voted for the draft law on de-monopolization
of economy. Actually, the opposition is ready to take more radical
measures up to expressing impeachment to president Serzh Sargsyan. Of
course, we still see not enough political conditions for raising of
this problem, as we need a situation when even the people from the
ruling majority will join the opposition. I do not rule out such a
situation in future.
Is Prosperous Armenia Party also ready to raise the presidential
impeachment?
Of course, it is still early to speak about the accord of all the
opposition factions. I mean not only the PAP. Even we are not ready
to that today. We think that the moment has not ripened yet. But in
general we manage to find contact point with the PAP and the rest
forces on many issues.
Interview of the head of the Armenian National Congress parliamentary
faction Levon Zurabyan with Arminfo news agency
by Ashot Safaryan
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=AC3D96B0-317C-11E3-93E60EB7C0D21663
Thursday, October 10, 11:22
Mr Zurabyan, the authorities of Armenia reiterate many times about
their readiness to sign the association Agreement in Vilnius, whereas
the Europeans do not support such passion saying it is impossible to
separate the political component of the Association Agreement from
the economical one - DCFTA. What are the possible scenarios of the
process? Will any document be signed in Vilnius?
In the wake of unhealthy secrecy of negotiations with EU, it is
difficult to forecast anything ahead of Vilnius Summit. The ruling
regime in Armenia keeps in secrecy the content of the negotiations with
the European Union. In the wake of such unhealthy confidentiality,
it is very difficult to forecasts if any document will be signed
in Vilnius or not. The genuine efforts had been made to prepare the
country for signing the Association Agreement with the EU, including
DCFTA, for 3.5 years. All this paled into insignificance overnight,
after Serzh Sargsyan adopted a decision to access the Customs Union. I
do not think it normal that such decisions are not discussed with the
Armenian public and political forces. Serzh Sargsyan has entered some
secret deals, which has shattered confidence of European partners
in Armenia. Sargsyan said one thing in Moscow and another thing in
Brussels. He negotiated with the EU concealing the key elements of
that process from Moscow. Now, it has turned out that he negotiated
also for accession to the Customs Union and concealed it from Brussels.
But the Europeans said nothing about the points of this document...
I am sure that this would never happen in a democratic country. The
president and the foreign minister of a democratic country would
inform the people at least of the basic provisions of the document
to be signed and the country's course for the coming years.
How much realistic is Armenia's joining the Customs Union taking into
consideration the absence of the common border?
The Armenian public knows nothing about what is the Customs Union, how
they will settle the key problems, including absence of borders with
other Customs Union member-states. Actually, two factors determined
the decision to access the Customs Union - security of Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh and Serzh Sargsyan's vulnerability to external
pressure, including from Russia, because of his illegitimate power.
Did the president adopt a decision on setting up of the commission for
constitution reforms as a step towards the parliamentary government
system?
The goal of the Constitutional reform in Armenia is to ensure 'power
for life' for Serzh Sargsyan. The president of Armenia is approaching
the end of his tenure and is gradually losing his influence. That
is why he has recently adopted a decision to set up a Commission
for Constitutional Reform to change the system of government in the
country from the presidential to the parliamentary one.Sargsyan's
team is extremely concerned about who will come to replace Sargsyan
on the post of the president. Discrepancies inside the ruling party
will keep growing. Such situation is called a 'lame duck syndrome'
in the US political science. Serzh Sargsyan's evident failures have
even more exacerbated that syndrome and increase overall nervousness
in the Republican Party. Therefore, they pulled that gimmick with
transition to the parliamentary system of government. It was a peculiar
alarm to Sargsyan's team, which means that the president will retain
his power in a new status of the prime minister. The decision to set
up the Commission for Constitutional Reforms has become a peculiar
lifebelt for the 'lame duck'". I am confident that the public must
realize the danger of that step by the RPA leader. In a parliamentary
republic, a party can participate in the parliamentary elections
without any restrictions and terms. I recommend those who support
the parliamentary system of government to think well before helping
Serzh Sargsyan to get "power for life".
Let's talk about the role of the opposition in this situation. Will
it going to confront such attempts?
Everybody noticed that the entrance of the Armenian National Congress
in the National Assembly promoted much the consolidation of all
the opposition factions on the key issues. The four factions - ANC,
Prosperous Armenia, Heritage and ARF Dashnaktiutyun voted against the
programme of the government, against adoption of the budget in the form
submitted by the government. These factions voted for adoption of the
draft law on setting up of the commission to investigate tragic events
in March 2008. They also voted for adoption of the new Electoral Code
which would make it possible to reduce the possibility of the election
fraud much. They also voted for the draft law on de-monopolization
of economy. Actually, the opposition is ready to take more radical
measures up to expressing impeachment to president Serzh Sargsyan. Of
course, we still see not enough political conditions for raising of
this problem, as we need a situation when even the people from the
ruling majority will join the opposition. I do not rule out such a
situation in future.
Is Prosperous Armenia Party also ready to raise the presidential
impeachment?
Of course, it is still early to speak about the accord of all the
opposition factions. I mean not only the PAP. Even we are not ready
to that today. We think that the moment has not ripened yet. But in
general we manage to find contact point with the PAP and the rest
forces on many issues.