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DIFFERENCES BUT NOT CONTRADICTIONS: NON-GOVERNING TRIO REAFFIRMS UNITY DESPITE DISAGREEMENT ON CERTAIN ISSUES
POLITICS | 11.11.14 | 12:35
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/58378/armenia_opposition_trio_government_differences
By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
The three non-governing parties that have thrown down the gauntlet to
the government appear to have some differences that were addressed on
Monday. But after discussions on that day the Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP), the Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Heritage reaffirmed
their commitment to continue their joint anti-government campaign.
"Despite expectations of many, the trio will not collapse," stated
PAP lawmaker Stepan Margaryan, who said that the three parties will
make an announcement about their further steps on Wednesday.
"Naturally, there will be a rally," he added. "We will make a decision
on what events should be like and when should be their culmination
or something like that. We go forward, to demand early elections."
Margaryan also stressed that the trio is expanding the scale of
the movement, adding more pressure in the form of street actions,
including rallies and sitting strikes.
The differences among the three opposition parties transpired last
week when the PAP began to form headquarters in provinces. On Sunday
warned that such actions indefinitely postpone active political steps
and that it could be a "fatal mistake" on the part of the PAP.
The ANC said the government could use this period to mobilize its
forces and cause rifts amongst the opposition trio, adding that it
considered "keeping people active" to be the best way for the movement.
The PAP, however, once again stressed on Monday that it was not in
a hurry to stage another rally. Party spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
spokesman said that the movement has a nationwide nature and for giving
it a "more comprehensive look" they are prepared for large-scale
events in both regions and Yerevan, including for "decisive action"
in Liberty Square "at the right moment".
"People are waiting not for a rally, but for a change of government,"
Urikhanyan told RFE/RL's Armenian Service, adding that they have no
contradictions with the ANC and that the ANC has the right to organize
any public event in any place and at any time on its own.
ANC spokesman Levon Zurabyan also spoke about some differences,
but stressed that they did not amount to contradictions.
"We see what a great amount of work we've managed to do, what great
hopes we have awaken and it is natural that no one wants the entire
movement to fail because of sudden wrong decisions," he said, adding
that they will insist on the need to hold a rally before the end of
this year.
According to political analyst Armen Grigoryan, the differences among
the three non-governing parties are not such by their nature as to
lead to their acting separately.
"The main differences are in terms of time: the ANC wants to act more
quickly, the PAP suggests giving the movement a more institutional
look and only then pass on to decisive action. It is for this purpose
that the PAP is setting up headquarters in the regions so that it
can struggle with more resources and mobilized force," the political
analyst told ArmeniaNow.
Remarkably, the PAP attitude to act more slowly in recent days has
been linked by some media to the alleged meeting between PAP leader
Gagik Tsarukyan and President Serzh Sargsyan. But neither party
confirmed such a meeting took place. Some opposition members view it
as an attempt by Sargsyan's Republican Party of Armenia to disrupt
the movement, but ruling party spokesman Edward Sharmazanov denies
any such intent.
"I have repeatedly said that the Republican Party never agrees to
bargains and does not plant mines inside the opposition," he told
RFE/RL's Armenian Service. "If they have a problem, they should look
for it among themselves."
Political analyst Sergey Minasyan also does not think that the
actions of the opposition trio cause any major concerns of the
government today.
"First, I am not convinced that the trio is ready to go till the
end, but even if it is so and the authorities feel that there may be
dangerous developments, they will try to stop it at once. Since now it
is not a pre-election period, there is no serious problem and response,
the authorities are not that much concerned," Minasyan told ArmeniaNow.
POLITICS | 11.11.14 | 12:35
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/58378/armenia_opposition_trio_government_differences
By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
The three non-governing parties that have thrown down the gauntlet to
the government appear to have some differences that were addressed on
Monday. But after discussions on that day the Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP), the Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Heritage reaffirmed
their commitment to continue their joint anti-government campaign.
"Despite expectations of many, the trio will not collapse," stated
PAP lawmaker Stepan Margaryan, who said that the three parties will
make an announcement about their further steps on Wednesday.
"Naturally, there will be a rally," he added. "We will make a decision
on what events should be like and when should be their culmination
or something like that. We go forward, to demand early elections."
Margaryan also stressed that the trio is expanding the scale of
the movement, adding more pressure in the form of street actions,
including rallies and sitting strikes.
The differences among the three opposition parties transpired last
week when the PAP began to form headquarters in provinces. On Sunday
warned that such actions indefinitely postpone active political steps
and that it could be a "fatal mistake" on the part of the PAP.
The ANC said the government could use this period to mobilize its
forces and cause rifts amongst the opposition trio, adding that it
considered "keeping people active" to be the best way for the movement.
The PAP, however, once again stressed on Monday that it was not in
a hurry to stage another rally. Party spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
spokesman said that the movement has a nationwide nature and for giving
it a "more comprehensive look" they are prepared for large-scale
events in both regions and Yerevan, including for "decisive action"
in Liberty Square "at the right moment".
"People are waiting not for a rally, but for a change of government,"
Urikhanyan told RFE/RL's Armenian Service, adding that they have no
contradictions with the ANC and that the ANC has the right to organize
any public event in any place and at any time on its own.
ANC spokesman Levon Zurabyan also spoke about some differences,
but stressed that they did not amount to contradictions.
"We see what a great amount of work we've managed to do, what great
hopes we have awaken and it is natural that no one wants the entire
movement to fail because of sudden wrong decisions," he said, adding
that they will insist on the need to hold a rally before the end of
this year.
According to political analyst Armen Grigoryan, the differences among
the three non-governing parties are not such by their nature as to
lead to their acting separately.
"The main differences are in terms of time: the ANC wants to act more
quickly, the PAP suggests giving the movement a more institutional
look and only then pass on to decisive action. It is for this purpose
that the PAP is setting up headquarters in the regions so that it
can struggle with more resources and mobilized force," the political
analyst told ArmeniaNow.
Remarkably, the PAP attitude to act more slowly in recent days has
been linked by some media to the alleged meeting between PAP leader
Gagik Tsarukyan and President Serzh Sargsyan. But neither party
confirmed such a meeting took place. Some opposition members view it
as an attempt by Sargsyan's Republican Party of Armenia to disrupt
the movement, but ruling party spokesman Edward Sharmazanov denies
any such intent.
"I have repeatedly said that the Republican Party never agrees to
bargains and does not plant mines inside the opposition," he told
RFE/RL's Armenian Service. "If they have a problem, they should look
for it among themselves."
Political analyst Sergey Minasyan also does not think that the
actions of the opposition trio cause any major concerns of the
government today.
"First, I am not convinced that the trio is ready to go till the
end, but even if it is so and the authorities feel that there may be
dangerous developments, they will try to stop it at once. Since now it
is not a pre-election period, there is no serious problem and response,
the authorities are not that much concerned," Minasyan told ArmeniaNow.