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ARMENIA COULD SLOW DOWN DEMOCRATIC PROGRESS AFTER JOINING EEU: OPINIONS
22:07 * 10.12.14
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/12/10/armdemprog/1532369
Heritage parliamentary group member Alexander Arzumanyan's concern
is that Armenia's democratic progress as compared with the other
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member-states will go unnoticed.
"If your major partner does not respect human rights, you will practice
it as well," he told Tert.am.
Mr Arzumanyan mistrusts official statements that, although the EEU
has not set any preconditions to meet certain democracy standards,
it highlights the necessity for drawing closer to each other and
turning to the leader with different programs, Armenia being the
leader in this particular case.
"It is good that the Council of Europe, European Union (EU) or any
other structure has failed to make Russia or Kazakhstan democratic
states, whereas Armenia could succeed," Mr Arzumanyan said.
"We will make democratic progress in defiance of all authorities,
customs unions and so on. Our people will progress, it is our
development imperative. So even with steps back, we will achieve
our aims."
Human rights activist Artak Zeinalyan told Tert.am that Armenia's
accession to the EEU will cause a democratic regress, which can even
now be seen in police conduct.
"Developments show they are 'getting into the police role'," he said.
According to him, Armenia will not succeed to force Russia, Kazakhstan
and Belarus to keep pace with its own achievements.
"The local overseers will do their best to please the Kremlin. They are
sure to worsen the situation. And we can see it: the court approved
and protected hate speech, and the case involving violence against a
journalist in front of the National Assembly has been dismissed. These
examples prove the situation will worsen," Mr Zeinalyan said.
Human rights protection and democracy are constitutional requirements.
"And they are even stricter than in Europe," he said.
According to him, Europe's pressure has played its role in Armenia's
progress as well.
Mr Zeinalyan also highlights NGOs' role, as well as opposition
political forces' role.
"NGOs have succeeded to an extent - citizens sacrificed their life
for that and political figures were imprisoned - the authorities were
faced with requirements. All that produced a result. That is, there was
political struggle for results, and political parties were involved in
that struggle. There is no political struggle in Azerbaijan, and NGO
representatives and activists are imprisoned. And in Armenia political
figures were in prisons, but society struggled and succeeded," he said.
From: Baghdasarian
22:07 * 10.12.14
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/12/10/armdemprog/1532369
Heritage parliamentary group member Alexander Arzumanyan's concern
is that Armenia's democratic progress as compared with the other
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member-states will go unnoticed.
"If your major partner does not respect human rights, you will practice
it as well," he told Tert.am.
Mr Arzumanyan mistrusts official statements that, although the EEU
has not set any preconditions to meet certain democracy standards,
it highlights the necessity for drawing closer to each other and
turning to the leader with different programs, Armenia being the
leader in this particular case.
"It is good that the Council of Europe, European Union (EU) or any
other structure has failed to make Russia or Kazakhstan democratic
states, whereas Armenia could succeed," Mr Arzumanyan said.
"We will make democratic progress in defiance of all authorities,
customs unions and so on. Our people will progress, it is our
development imperative. So even with steps back, we will achieve
our aims."
Human rights activist Artak Zeinalyan told Tert.am that Armenia's
accession to the EEU will cause a democratic regress, which can even
now be seen in police conduct.
"Developments show they are 'getting into the police role'," he said.
According to him, Armenia will not succeed to force Russia, Kazakhstan
and Belarus to keep pace with its own achievements.
"The local overseers will do their best to please the Kremlin. They are
sure to worsen the situation. And we can see it: the court approved
and protected hate speech, and the case involving violence against a
journalist in front of the National Assembly has been dismissed. These
examples prove the situation will worsen," Mr Zeinalyan said.
Human rights protection and democracy are constitutional requirements.
"And they are even stricter than in Europe," he said.
According to him, Europe's pressure has played its role in Armenia's
progress as well.
Mr Zeinalyan also highlights NGOs' role, as well as opposition
political forces' role.
"NGOs have succeeded to an extent - citizens sacrificed their life
for that and political figures were imprisoned - the authorities were
faced with requirements. All that produced a result. That is, there was
political struggle for results, and political parties were involved in
that struggle. There is no political struggle in Azerbaijan, and NGO
representatives and activists are imprisoned. And in Armenia political
figures were in prisons, but society struggled and succeeded," he said.
From: Baghdasarian