Tweet
EX-PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARYAN NOT CONCERNED OVER ARMENIA'S FUTURE - HRANUSH KHARATYAN
21:43 ~U 13.01.14
Preparliament member Hranush Kharatyan has commented on Armenian
ex-president Robert Kocharyan's interview.
According to her, the interview is actually the ex-president's bid
for Armenia's presidency.
"No doubt, it is a bid for the highest position, the post of Armenia's
president. I am sure that Robert Kocharyan will not lower his
'standards' down to premiership," Kharatyan told Tert.am.
- Ms Kharatyan, Armenia's ex-president Robert Kocharyan has given
two interviews in the past 20 days. His tone was similar to that of
the opposition. In his previous interview he addressed such problems
as apathy, emigration, the rest 40% of Armenia's population. In
today's interview, the ex-president dwelt on funded pension and
gas agreements. Do you think it is Kocharyan's bid for returning to
big politics?
- I think this bid is not a new thing. I think that by means of media
outlets associated with them the ex-president attempts to make his
assessments of the government process. I have never heard him making
positive assessments of the government's work. On the other hand, I
am surprised at his saying that his is concerned over Armenia's future.
What does prevent him from meeting with these people and discuss the
situation with them?
He also says that the issue of funded pensions was discussed during his
presidency and a decision was made against this principle. He accounts
for it by popular mistrust of the government. The ex-president seems
to believe that the population trusted the authorities. I would like
to note that if a person is really concerned over the situation in
Armenia rather than over his returning to power, why does not he
attempt to discuss the problem with them? I do not believe that he
[Kocharyan] is really concerned over the situation in our country.
- Do you think this winter is the most favorable season to express
this concern? Is Armenia's premiership the aim?
- One thing is clear. In many countries, first of all in Armenia, the
premier is not an independent person. He makes key decisions either
under the president's pressure or - The striking evidence thereof
is that on September 3, 2013, the premier turned into a proponent
of the Customs Union. I think that the aim is Armenia's presidency
in this case. And an 'unhappy premier' first of all implies an
'unhappy president.'
- In fact, the Robert Kocharyan-Tigran Sargsyan 'confrontation' -
their reciprocal responses - is mediated. Are Robert Kocharyan's
'messages' intended for the premier - or for the president?
- No doubt, they are intended for Armenia's president. I am sure that
Robert Kocharyan will not lower his 'standards' down to premiership.
His is making a bid for the post of president.
- Nonetheless, according to some analysts, Robert Kocharyan and
Serzh Sargsyan will never come into conflict. Therefore, they say,
this all is nothing but a show for the only purpose of retaining power.
- I am sure that Robert Kocharyan is a sole actor. Of course, he may
employ strategy to cause problems in his relations with individuals.
But, I say again, he is an independent actor. I do not think they
have a program of succeeding each other.
- Does Robert Kocharyan need any forces' support to return?
- I do not think Robert Kocharyan is interested in public support
or popular confidence. Since he has supporters in the oligarchic
system or, to be precise, contracts with individuals, as well as
within the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), or within the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), he can be said to have the necessary
human potential at his disposal - the people that normally come to
power in Armenia by means of frauds, violence and so on.
- During the debates on the Armenian-Russian gas agreement, the MPs of
the Republican Party were reproaching the one of the Prosperous Armenia
Party for not having the courage to deplore the Russian authorities,
while they were critical of Armenia's authorities. At least now,
one could get an impression that Robert Kocharyan was critical of
the agreement and, thus, of Russia's authorities.
- Robert Kocharyan has never spoken against the gas agreement. They
only say that the developments follow business logic, and are evidence
of the agreement being monopolized. That is, Robert Kocharyan considers
the developments logical, which means that he is critical of Armenia's
helplessness rather than of Russia's steps, by saying that there was
no need to conceal the $300,000,000 debt. Concealing or not was not
Gazprom's problem. It was the Armenian government's problem.
They might have informed the population, or at least the parliament,
of that debt. No doubt, Robert Kocharyan was well aware of it. As
Armenia's ex-president, who amassed an enormous fortune, should not
have been silent during these four years for the sake of Armenian and
Nagorno-Karabakh economies. I say again, his messages were intended
for Armenia's authorities.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/01/13/hranush-kharatyan/
From: A. Papazian
21:43 ~U 13.01.14
Preparliament member Hranush Kharatyan has commented on Armenian
ex-president Robert Kocharyan's interview.
According to her, the interview is actually the ex-president's bid
for Armenia's presidency.
"No doubt, it is a bid for the highest position, the post of Armenia's
president. I am sure that Robert Kocharyan will not lower his
'standards' down to premiership," Kharatyan told Tert.am.
- Ms Kharatyan, Armenia's ex-president Robert Kocharyan has given
two interviews in the past 20 days. His tone was similar to that of
the opposition. In his previous interview he addressed such problems
as apathy, emigration, the rest 40% of Armenia's population. In
today's interview, the ex-president dwelt on funded pension and
gas agreements. Do you think it is Kocharyan's bid for returning to
big politics?
- I think this bid is not a new thing. I think that by means of media
outlets associated with them the ex-president attempts to make his
assessments of the government process. I have never heard him making
positive assessments of the government's work. On the other hand, I
am surprised at his saying that his is concerned over Armenia's future.
What does prevent him from meeting with these people and discuss the
situation with them?
He also says that the issue of funded pensions was discussed during his
presidency and a decision was made against this principle. He accounts
for it by popular mistrust of the government. The ex-president seems
to believe that the population trusted the authorities. I would like
to note that if a person is really concerned over the situation in
Armenia rather than over his returning to power, why does not he
attempt to discuss the problem with them? I do not believe that he
[Kocharyan] is really concerned over the situation in our country.
- Do you think this winter is the most favorable season to express
this concern? Is Armenia's premiership the aim?
- One thing is clear. In many countries, first of all in Armenia, the
premier is not an independent person. He makes key decisions either
under the president's pressure or - The striking evidence thereof
is that on September 3, 2013, the premier turned into a proponent
of the Customs Union. I think that the aim is Armenia's presidency
in this case. And an 'unhappy premier' first of all implies an
'unhappy president.'
- In fact, the Robert Kocharyan-Tigran Sargsyan 'confrontation' -
their reciprocal responses - is mediated. Are Robert Kocharyan's
'messages' intended for the premier - or for the president?
- No doubt, they are intended for Armenia's president. I am sure that
Robert Kocharyan will not lower his 'standards' down to premiership.
His is making a bid for the post of president.
- Nonetheless, according to some analysts, Robert Kocharyan and
Serzh Sargsyan will never come into conflict. Therefore, they say,
this all is nothing but a show for the only purpose of retaining power.
- I am sure that Robert Kocharyan is a sole actor. Of course, he may
employ strategy to cause problems in his relations with individuals.
But, I say again, he is an independent actor. I do not think they
have a program of succeeding each other.
- Does Robert Kocharyan need any forces' support to return?
- I do not think Robert Kocharyan is interested in public support
or popular confidence. Since he has supporters in the oligarchic
system or, to be precise, contracts with individuals, as well as
within the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), or within the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), he can be said to have the necessary
human potential at his disposal - the people that normally come to
power in Armenia by means of frauds, violence and so on.
- During the debates on the Armenian-Russian gas agreement, the MPs of
the Republican Party were reproaching the one of the Prosperous Armenia
Party for not having the courage to deplore the Russian authorities,
while they were critical of Armenia's authorities. At least now,
one could get an impression that Robert Kocharyan was critical of
the agreement and, thus, of Russia's authorities.
- Robert Kocharyan has never spoken against the gas agreement. They
only say that the developments follow business logic, and are evidence
of the agreement being monopolized. That is, Robert Kocharyan considers
the developments logical, which means that he is critical of Armenia's
helplessness rather than of Russia's steps, by saying that there was
no need to conceal the $300,000,000 debt. Concealing or not was not
Gazprom's problem. It was the Armenian government's problem.
They might have informed the population, or at least the parliament,
of that debt. No doubt, Robert Kocharyan was well aware of it. As
Armenia's ex-president, who amassed an enormous fortune, should not
have been silent during these four years for the sake of Armenian and
Nagorno-Karabakh economies. I say again, his messages were intended
for Armenia's authorities.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/01/13/hranush-kharatyan/
From: A. Papazian