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ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES WILL TRY TO CREATE PRO-WESTERN OPPOSITION - POLITICAL ENGINEER
10:37 * 02.03.15
In an interview with Tert.am, the political engineer Vigen Hakobyan
said he expects the Armenian authorities to make attempts to create
a more or less Western-like opposition to raise the advantages of
the dialogue with Russia.
Mr Hakobyan, who do you think will fill the existing vacuum in the
opposition, and how long is this going to last?
I think it is the opposition that's more concerned about that, as it
is going to to put the constitutional reforms package to a referendum.
So given the existing vacuum today, it needs opposing forces, as a
matter of fact. And to conduct a democratic referendum and ensure a
democratic process, it first of all needs an opposition, people who
will object to all that. My impression is that the authorities have
now started creating an opposition, naming certain people and dropping
certain hints. If you have noticed, the parliament's latest four-day
session was quite active, with both the traditional oppositionists -
ANC [Armenian National Congress] members - trying to take advantage of
the vacuum and the oppositionists who try to act individually seeking
to pave their way into this domain with more abrupt speeches. But I
too, insist and think that the authorities will, nonetheless, try to
form a more western-like opposition.
Do you already see such a force?
No, there isn't such a force at present; what we see are just
individuals.
But why by all means a pro-Western opposition?
A pro-Western opposition is advantageous in terms of the dialogue with
Russia, as you will be able to say 'I have quite a serious opposition
and need your support'. And that support can be both political and
financial, but on the other hand, you tell the same Americans and
Europeans that we maintain normal relations also with the Western side.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/03/02/vigen-hakobyan/1604415
10:37 * 02.03.15
In an interview with Tert.am, the political engineer Vigen Hakobyan
said he expects the Armenian authorities to make attempts to create
a more or less Western-like opposition to raise the advantages of
the dialogue with Russia.
Mr Hakobyan, who do you think will fill the existing vacuum in the
opposition, and how long is this going to last?
I think it is the opposition that's more concerned about that, as it
is going to to put the constitutional reforms package to a referendum.
So given the existing vacuum today, it needs opposing forces, as a
matter of fact. And to conduct a democratic referendum and ensure a
democratic process, it first of all needs an opposition, people who
will object to all that. My impression is that the authorities have
now started creating an opposition, naming certain people and dropping
certain hints. If you have noticed, the parliament's latest four-day
session was quite active, with both the traditional oppositionists -
ANC [Armenian National Congress] members - trying to take advantage of
the vacuum and the oppositionists who try to act individually seeking
to pave their way into this domain with more abrupt speeches. But I
too, insist and think that the authorities will, nonetheless, try to
form a more western-like opposition.
Do you already see such a force?
No, there isn't such a force at present; what we see are just
individuals.
But why by all means a pro-Western opposition?
A pro-Western opposition is advantageous in terms of the dialogue with
Russia, as you will be able to say 'I have quite a serious opposition
and need your support'. And that support can be both political and
financial, but on the other hand, you tell the same Americans and
Europeans that we maintain normal relations also with the Western side.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/03/02/vigen-hakobyan/1604415