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`Diary for me and everyone.' `You're an interesting person, you have come
here and want to decide Armenia's fate?'
September 24 2014
Said the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, at the meeting with
Armenians living in the Czech Republic The video cameras were taken out
from the Embassy hall, and only the president's personal operator was
allowed.
The remaining speech of the president is a monotone conversation:
unprecedented economic growth, migration decrease, and success in foreign
diplomacy. Then comes our questions, as for the president's responses,
judge for yourself.
Larisa Grigoryan, quoting Aznavour's interview, `No much time will pass,
and Armenia will resemble an empty snail shell. And who profits from this?
Wealthy gangs? A few Mafioso? I know that we have a small piece of a poor
country, who is dying day by day,' asked, -
Mr. President, if you agree with this opinion, then how can we prevent the
day by day emigration and increasing poverty?
- I have respect for Aznavour as a musician, but he is very far from
Armenia and is unaware of the reality. As for growing emigration, you are
an Armenian language teacher, but you have not well understood the meaning
of the word `growing'.
(And the president lists numbers. This much and this much economic growth,
growth of gross product, which resulted in a decrease in the rate of
emigration in 2012). Don't you agree that life has been improved, people in
the streets of Yerevan are better dressed?
- No, shouted Tamara MELKONYAN from the last raw, Armenia is not only
Yerevan, go to the villages and you would see what poverty prevails there.
- Stand up, let me see who you are. How do you know sitting here?
- I know, how much money I was sending to my relatives, the same amount I
am sending now, - and concurrently speaks with the president.
- Let me talk, do not ask your relatives, just believe the international
numbers. There are the data of international monitoring. Trust in this.
- Armen KOLOYAN - Mr. President, by adding and subtracting the numbers you
said, it turned out that 38,000 people abandoned the country in 2012. And
this is a very big number.
- You have come here and worry about, go back and we would be many. Our
statistical department has not yet published the figures for 2013. When
published, we would see.
Bagrat ARAKELYAN - I do not hide that I am one of today's organized rally
participants. Most of Armenians living outside are against Armenia's
accession to the Customs Union. Why didn't you ask the opinion of
All-Armenians when making a decision? Let you hold a referendum.
- You are interesting people, you have come here and want to decide
Armenia's fate? Let those living in Armenia resolve these matters,
you have
nothing to do with those matters. They should decide whether Armenia be in
the Customs Union or not. I cannot ask for everyone's opinion overnight.
Have you read the EU Free Trade Agreement? What are the terms?
- I have not read, I have just lived a pretty long time in Russia, then I
moved to Europe and I am able to compare.
- Our choice is not a civilization one. It is a choice that is driven from
the economic interests of our people. We cannot sign a Free Trade Agreement
and increase the gas price and the electricity fee three-fold. If it turns
out that cognac does not meet the European standards, we would not grow
grapes, and so on. Is this what you want? Let's say you voice a protest
here with 5 of you, what do you want to say by this that you decide here on
how we are going to live there?
- We have expressed our opinion.
- Let you tell your opinion at your home. I do not know a case when the
president goes for negotiations with all of his arguments published. We are
not yet a member of the CU, the parliament has still to pass 150 laws, and
the National Assembly is our people's voice.
Hakob ASATRYAN - Do you consider it possible that Armenia would sign the
EU Free Trade Area Agreement through the CU?
- `ECOIS' survey conduction company has published the data. In a short-run,
the Free Trade Agreement will provide 1 per cent growth of Armenia's gross
domestic income, in a mid- and long-run - 2-3%. Well, let's compare by
commodity. Only gas, natural diamonds, fuel and lubrication substances. The
benefit of only from this is several times more. In addition, Russia sells
30 % cheaper petroleum to CU member countries, now, what should we do, to
say, no, we would pay more and join the Association plan? The Czech
Republic pays twice more to `Gazprom' for 1000 cubic meters. We export
aluminum, copper and molybdenum concentrates to Europe. No matter what
other agreements we sign, they will be happy to accept these concentrates.
I do not think that we would be able to sell even 150 bottles of cognac per
annum in Europe in the future, whereas we sell 150 million bottles of
cognac in Russia. We are organically tied to the economy of the CIS
countries, this is the reason for going to the Eurasian Union. We clearly
understand that the economic relations in Europe are 20-30 years ahead, but
what should we do, to sign FTA and increase poverty in the country? I'm
sure that the time for signing an EU Free Trade Area Agreement through the
CU will come. It's inevitable.
Shushan GHAZARYAN - I cannot turn to you as my president, as I have not
elected you, in other words, I am deprived of that opportunity. I would
like to ask you, when will the right of Armenian citizens living abroad to
voting be restored? Not say, come to Armenia and vote. I prefer sending
this money to my relatives in need.
- It's really a tough question, because we do not have embassies in all
countries, the dual citizenships have become more. If, let's say, we open
up a polling station in Prague, someone from Brno would say, open up one
here too. Or, how do you visualize this for the Armenians living in Russia?
How are they going to cross from Siberia to Moscow and Petersburg? Are we
going to open up a polling station everywhere? I understand that you are
helping the Homeland economically, but the election for the president is
first of all the right of the one living in Armenia. But if we develop so
much to ensure transparency and fairness, we can provide an e-voting and
solve the problem, but it is hard and would be challenging in the future.
Anna KARAPETYAN - We are at a disadvantage with Azerbaijan in the field of
information. If it goes on, one day we would lose Artsakh. Isn't it
possible to establish a European press center here and actively resist the
media war of Azerbaijan?
- Where did you get it from that we would lose Artsakh? If so, why doesn't
Azerbaijan sign the last agreements? I do not understand what it is about,
what the European press center is. I think we do not need it, because we
are not at a disadvantage with Azerbaijan in the field of information.
- Arsen, entrepreneur, Brno - I would like to talk about the business
monopolization. For instance, why is sugar imported to the country by a
single person?
- So, what do you want? Should ten people import sugar to a small country?
- I am engaged in transport business. They say that allegedly this business
is not advantages in Armenia. If not, give it to others, such as me, I
would make it better. I have experience, and I will set up law and order.
- Come to Armenia, set up your businesses and should you have difficulties,
contact me.
Hakob ASATRYAN - TV programs are not useful, they are in Russian language,
vulgar, children's programs are broadcast during the nighttime.
- Most of the TV channels are private, and I have no right to interfere. As
for `H1=80³ channel, agree that a lot has been changed, there
are fresh and
interesting headlines. Maybe, something else is broadcast by the satellite,
but in Yerevan, it is very good.
SHUSHAN GHAZARYAN Prague
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/09/24/167036/
From: Baghdasarian
here and want to decide Armenia's fate?'
September 24 2014
Said the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, at the meeting with
Armenians living in the Czech Republic The video cameras were taken out
from the Embassy hall, and only the president's personal operator was
allowed.
The remaining speech of the president is a monotone conversation:
unprecedented economic growth, migration decrease, and success in foreign
diplomacy. Then comes our questions, as for the president's responses,
judge for yourself.
Larisa Grigoryan, quoting Aznavour's interview, `No much time will pass,
and Armenia will resemble an empty snail shell. And who profits from this?
Wealthy gangs? A few Mafioso? I know that we have a small piece of a poor
country, who is dying day by day,' asked, -
Mr. President, if you agree with this opinion, then how can we prevent the
day by day emigration and increasing poverty?
- I have respect for Aznavour as a musician, but he is very far from
Armenia and is unaware of the reality. As for growing emigration, you are
an Armenian language teacher, but you have not well understood the meaning
of the word `growing'.
(And the president lists numbers. This much and this much economic growth,
growth of gross product, which resulted in a decrease in the rate of
emigration in 2012). Don't you agree that life has been improved, people in
the streets of Yerevan are better dressed?
- No, shouted Tamara MELKONYAN from the last raw, Armenia is not only
Yerevan, go to the villages and you would see what poverty prevails there.
- Stand up, let me see who you are. How do you know sitting here?
- I know, how much money I was sending to my relatives, the same amount I
am sending now, - and concurrently speaks with the president.
- Let me talk, do not ask your relatives, just believe the international
numbers. There are the data of international monitoring. Trust in this.
- Armen KOLOYAN - Mr. President, by adding and subtracting the numbers you
said, it turned out that 38,000 people abandoned the country in 2012. And
this is a very big number.
- You have come here and worry about, go back and we would be many. Our
statistical department has not yet published the figures for 2013. When
published, we would see.
Bagrat ARAKELYAN - I do not hide that I am one of today's organized rally
participants. Most of Armenians living outside are against Armenia's
accession to the Customs Union. Why didn't you ask the opinion of
All-Armenians when making a decision? Let you hold a referendum.
- You are interesting people, you have come here and want to decide
Armenia's fate? Let those living in Armenia resolve these matters,
you have
nothing to do with those matters. They should decide whether Armenia be in
the Customs Union or not. I cannot ask for everyone's opinion overnight.
Have you read the EU Free Trade Agreement? What are the terms?
- I have not read, I have just lived a pretty long time in Russia, then I
moved to Europe and I am able to compare.
- Our choice is not a civilization one. It is a choice that is driven from
the economic interests of our people. We cannot sign a Free Trade Agreement
and increase the gas price and the electricity fee three-fold. If it turns
out that cognac does not meet the European standards, we would not grow
grapes, and so on. Is this what you want? Let's say you voice a protest
here with 5 of you, what do you want to say by this that you decide here on
how we are going to live there?
- We have expressed our opinion.
- Let you tell your opinion at your home. I do not know a case when the
president goes for negotiations with all of his arguments published. We are
not yet a member of the CU, the parliament has still to pass 150 laws, and
the National Assembly is our people's voice.
Hakob ASATRYAN - Do you consider it possible that Armenia would sign the
EU Free Trade Area Agreement through the CU?
- `ECOIS' survey conduction company has published the data. In a short-run,
the Free Trade Agreement will provide 1 per cent growth of Armenia's gross
domestic income, in a mid- and long-run - 2-3%. Well, let's compare by
commodity. Only gas, natural diamonds, fuel and lubrication substances. The
benefit of only from this is several times more. In addition, Russia sells
30 % cheaper petroleum to CU member countries, now, what should we do, to
say, no, we would pay more and join the Association plan? The Czech
Republic pays twice more to `Gazprom' for 1000 cubic meters. We export
aluminum, copper and molybdenum concentrates to Europe. No matter what
other agreements we sign, they will be happy to accept these concentrates.
I do not think that we would be able to sell even 150 bottles of cognac per
annum in Europe in the future, whereas we sell 150 million bottles of
cognac in Russia. We are organically tied to the economy of the CIS
countries, this is the reason for going to the Eurasian Union. We clearly
understand that the economic relations in Europe are 20-30 years ahead, but
what should we do, to sign FTA and increase poverty in the country? I'm
sure that the time for signing an EU Free Trade Area Agreement through the
CU will come. It's inevitable.
Shushan GHAZARYAN - I cannot turn to you as my president, as I have not
elected you, in other words, I am deprived of that opportunity. I would
like to ask you, when will the right of Armenian citizens living abroad to
voting be restored? Not say, come to Armenia and vote. I prefer sending
this money to my relatives in need.
- It's really a tough question, because we do not have embassies in all
countries, the dual citizenships have become more. If, let's say, we open
up a polling station in Prague, someone from Brno would say, open up one
here too. Or, how do you visualize this for the Armenians living in Russia?
How are they going to cross from Siberia to Moscow and Petersburg? Are we
going to open up a polling station everywhere? I understand that you are
helping the Homeland economically, but the election for the president is
first of all the right of the one living in Armenia. But if we develop so
much to ensure transparency and fairness, we can provide an e-voting and
solve the problem, but it is hard and would be challenging in the future.
Anna KARAPETYAN - We are at a disadvantage with Azerbaijan in the field of
information. If it goes on, one day we would lose Artsakh. Isn't it
possible to establish a European press center here and actively resist the
media war of Azerbaijan?
- Where did you get it from that we would lose Artsakh? If so, why doesn't
Azerbaijan sign the last agreements? I do not understand what it is about,
what the European press center is. I think we do not need it, because we
are not at a disadvantage with Azerbaijan in the field of information.
- Arsen, entrepreneur, Brno - I would like to talk about the business
monopolization. For instance, why is sugar imported to the country by a
single person?
- So, what do you want? Should ten people import sugar to a small country?
- I am engaged in transport business. They say that allegedly this business
is not advantages in Armenia. If not, give it to others, such as me, I
would make it better. I have experience, and I will set up law and order.
- Come to Armenia, set up your businesses and should you have difficulties,
contact me.
Hakob ASATRYAN - TV programs are not useful, they are in Russian language,
vulgar, children's programs are broadcast during the nighttime.
- Most of the TV channels are private, and I have no right to interfere. As
for `H1=80³ channel, agree that a lot has been changed, there
are fresh and
interesting headlines. Maybe, something else is broadcast by the satellite,
but in Yerevan, it is very good.
SHUSHAN GHAZARYAN Prague
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/09/24/167036/
From: Baghdasarian