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HAYRIKYAN'S PROTEST: SOVIET-ERA DISSIDENT SAYS PRESIDENT'S DECISION ON JOINING RUSSIAN-LED BLOC WRONG
Politics | 10.09.14 | 10:46
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Paruyr Hayrikyan, a Soviet-era dissident who had a great contribution
to Armenia's independence and also participated as a candidate
in several presidential elections since 1991, took a trip to Holy
Echmiadzin on Tuesday to pray in all churches there two days after
starting a hunger strike with the demand for President Serzh Sargsyan's
resignation.
The 65-year-old politician, who was a rival of Sargsyan in the 2013
presidential race and was even wounded in an assassination attempt
during the campaign, says the president's decision to join the emerging
Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union was wrong.
"This was a betrayal of the Armenian people's referendum on
independence. In 1991, we didn't vote just for independence, we
voted for becoming independent from Russia and Russian imperialism,"
Hayrikyan told ArmeniaNow.
He reminded that back then 94 percent of citizens rejected Russian
imperialism in the referendum. "And now someone, be him even president,
declares that he is again going to the lap of Russia that has become
an imperialistic state."
Hayrikyan believes that an overwhelming majority of people in Armenia
do not want to join the Russian-led bloc. According to his data,
when on September 3, 2013 Sargsyan announced the decision to join
the Customs Union 77 percent of "decided" citizens in Armenia were
in favor of the country's linking its future to the European Union,
while only 23 percent were for going along with Russia.
According to Hayrikyan, after some government propaganda in favor of
the Customs Union a new poll was taken, showing that only 40 percent
would like to see Armenia joining the Russia-initiated economic bloc,
while 60 percent still wanted an alliance with Europe.
"Now I think we will have a different picture that would be closer to
the results of the first survey because it is clear to every citizen
that Russia does not fulfill its role of guarantor of security,"
the opposition politician said.
Other sociological surveys, however, show a different picture. For
example, according to the recent data of sociologist Aharon Adibekyan,
64.5 percent of Armenian citizens are in favor of the country's
joining the Customs Union.
"Sixty percent of the population has always traditionally been oriented
towards Russia and that has various reasons. The most important thing
is that many Armenians have family members and relatives working in
Russia, and it is due to the money that they wire back home that they
can maintain their families. A considerable number of manufacturers
export their products to Russia and many receive their raw materials
from Russia," Adibekyan said recently.
Until now Armenia's authorities have not in any way responded to
Hayrikyan's demands. Moreover, both President Sargsyan and Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian in their most recent statements reaffirmed
that negotiations on Armenia's joining the Eurasian Economic Union
proceed in their normal course.
"I think there will be concrete results very soon," Foreign Minister
Nalbandian told reporters on Monday, underlining the fact that Armenia
will continue to seek ways to establish deeper relations also with
the European Union.
"This is our approach, this is the approach of the European Union,
and we will continue our work and efforts in that direction,"
Nalbandian said.
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/56725/armenia_dissident_paruyr_hayrikyan_protest_customs _union
Politics | 10.09.14 | 10:46
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Paruyr Hayrikyan, a Soviet-era dissident who had a great contribution
to Armenia's independence and also participated as a candidate
in several presidential elections since 1991, took a trip to Holy
Echmiadzin on Tuesday to pray in all churches there two days after
starting a hunger strike with the demand for President Serzh Sargsyan's
resignation.
The 65-year-old politician, who was a rival of Sargsyan in the 2013
presidential race and was even wounded in an assassination attempt
during the campaign, says the president's decision to join the emerging
Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union was wrong.
"This was a betrayal of the Armenian people's referendum on
independence. In 1991, we didn't vote just for independence, we
voted for becoming independent from Russia and Russian imperialism,"
Hayrikyan told ArmeniaNow.
He reminded that back then 94 percent of citizens rejected Russian
imperialism in the referendum. "And now someone, be him even president,
declares that he is again going to the lap of Russia that has become
an imperialistic state."
Hayrikyan believes that an overwhelming majority of people in Armenia
do not want to join the Russian-led bloc. According to his data,
when on September 3, 2013 Sargsyan announced the decision to join
the Customs Union 77 percent of "decided" citizens in Armenia were
in favor of the country's linking its future to the European Union,
while only 23 percent were for going along with Russia.
According to Hayrikyan, after some government propaganda in favor of
the Customs Union a new poll was taken, showing that only 40 percent
would like to see Armenia joining the Russia-initiated economic bloc,
while 60 percent still wanted an alliance with Europe.
"Now I think we will have a different picture that would be closer to
the results of the first survey because it is clear to every citizen
that Russia does not fulfill its role of guarantor of security,"
the opposition politician said.
Other sociological surveys, however, show a different picture. For
example, according to the recent data of sociologist Aharon Adibekyan,
64.5 percent of Armenian citizens are in favor of the country's
joining the Customs Union.
"Sixty percent of the population has always traditionally been oriented
towards Russia and that has various reasons. The most important thing
is that many Armenians have family members and relatives working in
Russia, and it is due to the money that they wire back home that they
can maintain their families. A considerable number of manufacturers
export their products to Russia and many receive their raw materials
from Russia," Adibekyan said recently.
Until now Armenia's authorities have not in any way responded to
Hayrikyan's demands. Moreover, both President Sargsyan and Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian in their most recent statements reaffirmed
that negotiations on Armenia's joining the Eurasian Economic Union
proceed in their normal course.
"I think there will be concrete results very soon," Foreign Minister
Nalbandian told reporters on Monday, underlining the fact that Armenia
will continue to seek ways to establish deeper relations also with
the European Union.
"This is our approach, this is the approach of the European Union,
and we will continue our work and efforts in that direction,"
Nalbandian said.
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/56725/armenia_dissident_paruyr_hayrikyan_protest_customs _union