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ACNIS DIRECTOR: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SYSTEM IS THE ONLY MECHANISM IMPEDING RETENTION OF POWER IN ARMENIA
by David Stepanyan
Friday, October 3, 10:32
Constitutional reform is a necessity for the Republican Party of
Armenia that seeks to retain power, Director of the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies Manvel Sargsyan told ArmInfo.
"The problem is that it has become very hard today to mislead the
society and other unions to win the upcoming presidential election.
For instance, in Azerbaijan Aliyev found an easy way to retain power
i.e. he just reformed the Constitution and was 'elected' for a third
term. He will be elected for a fourth term as well. In Armenia they
cannot do that. If they could, they would do it, for sure. There
is certain limit of lie and persuasion for every society. In the
authoritarian Azerbaijan, they will tell the people: 'Armenians will
exterminate you, if Armenia leaves, and there will be no Azerbaijan.'
And 90% of the people will believe in that," he said.
In Armenia such scenario is impossible, the expert said, not because
Armenians are more clever, but because no influential persons have been
left in Armenia and the country is governed by the criminal-oligarchic,
not authoritarian system. Hence, lies in Armenia must be more
elegant. "They have told everyone not so long ago that if anyone wants
to get anything, he must apply to the 'kiosk' in Melik Adamyan Street
[where RPA Office is located - editor's note]. In Armenia there is one
'kiosk.' Some people enter it, others not, there are also people who
are not allowed there. In other words, RPA has settled all the issues
connected with retention of power, except the one - the president's
post. The entire question pivots upon one man, Serzh Sargsyan, who
cannot run for a third term in 2018 unlike Aliyev," the analyst said.
In this light, the Republicans just need to reform the Basic Law
and Sargsyan will de-facto remain on his post for three years and
then for another 10 years. "If there is no presidential election,
no Kocharyans will emerge. This will close the 23-year cycle of the
games based on the presidential election system. This very system was
the only mechanism impeding retention of power in Armenia. If it is
removed, everything will remain on its place," ACNIS Director said.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=FB8C3F50-4AC6-11E4-9B190EB7C0D21663
by David Stepanyan
Friday, October 3, 10:32
Constitutional reform is a necessity for the Republican Party of
Armenia that seeks to retain power, Director of the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies Manvel Sargsyan told ArmInfo.
"The problem is that it has become very hard today to mislead the
society and other unions to win the upcoming presidential election.
For instance, in Azerbaijan Aliyev found an easy way to retain power
i.e. he just reformed the Constitution and was 'elected' for a third
term. He will be elected for a fourth term as well. In Armenia they
cannot do that. If they could, they would do it, for sure. There
is certain limit of lie and persuasion for every society. In the
authoritarian Azerbaijan, they will tell the people: 'Armenians will
exterminate you, if Armenia leaves, and there will be no Azerbaijan.'
And 90% of the people will believe in that," he said.
In Armenia such scenario is impossible, the expert said, not because
Armenians are more clever, but because no influential persons have been
left in Armenia and the country is governed by the criminal-oligarchic,
not authoritarian system. Hence, lies in Armenia must be more
elegant. "They have told everyone not so long ago that if anyone wants
to get anything, he must apply to the 'kiosk' in Melik Adamyan Street
[where RPA Office is located - editor's note]. In Armenia there is one
'kiosk.' Some people enter it, others not, there are also people who
are not allowed there. In other words, RPA has settled all the issues
connected with retention of power, except the one - the president's
post. The entire question pivots upon one man, Serzh Sargsyan, who
cannot run for a third term in 2018 unlike Aliyev," the analyst said.
In this light, the Republicans just need to reform the Basic Law
and Sargsyan will de-facto remain on his post for three years and
then for another 10 years. "If there is no presidential election,
no Kocharyans will emerge. This will close the 23-year cycle of the
games based on the presidential election system. This very system was
the only mechanism impeding retention of power in Armenia. If it is
removed, everything will remain on its place," ACNIS Director said.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=FB8C3F50-4AC6-11E4-9B190EB7C0D21663