It is about NDU’s proposal to form a coordinating council of the opposition.
NDU representative made a proposal in one of the sittings of “Anti-criminal movement” to form a coordinating council of the opposition to place the elections under control. Later NDU leader Vazgen Manoukian repeated the same proposal. Mr. Manoukian elucidated the main point of that proposal which consisted of four points. The proposals are:
- To design a platform for unification of all opposition forces, from the issues which are general for everybody /legal authority, new court system, right for referendum, proposal of national projects in demographic, educational, health and other spheres/. All forces, which are going to have seats in the parliament, are obliged to achieve those items jointly, forming a joint power in the NA.
- This council isn’t an electoral alliance. The part of participants of the council may not participate in the elections, the rest of them may unify in some electoral alliances, co-operating with each other in the electoral campaign.
- The opposition council must carry on a joint struggle against illegalities and fight for the true results of elections. Otherwise it must boycott and leave NA.
- The council must come to agreements, according to which the oppositionists, nominated by the majority system, won’t nominate candidates against each other and will defend each nominated oppositionist candidate.
Aram G. Sargsian, the leader of Democratic Party of Armenia, has made such a proposal lately, though the latter said during our interview that “the point is that our union must operate in pre-electoral period, in March-April. In my opinion, the participant parties must be unified, and those public organizations, too, which want to control not only the day of elections but also to change the atmosphere in the country before the elections. We think that those forces must meet with the people in all RA regions, and represent 4 main principles to hold fair elections, overcome atmosphere of fear, because we’ll fight for free and fair elections. In regard to the opposition parties, people must have an opportunity to elect according to the ideology and proposed projects”. DPA leader thinks that his proposal is for long-term activities unless it will be meaningless.
Both V. Manukian and A. Sargsian told us that the opposition forces had positively replied to their proposals. Anyway, in A. Sargsian’s words “nobody has refused. In my opinion we’ll speak about that proposal after March 3.” Vazgen Manukian had the same opinion that thinks that it isn’t important to make a quick decision: “We’ll produce the lists from February 26 to March 3, it will become clear who and against whom nominates candidacy. We don’t hurry, we can do it anytime.”
There is an impression from the interviews with Sargsian and Manukian that other opposition parties agree with the above mentioned proposals but they haven’t made any certain arrangement round it, or maybe the society doesn’t know about it. We tried to find out their attitudes towards those proposals from other opposition parties.
Smbat Ayvazian, the member of city soviet of “Republic” Party said on this occasion: “Our party has a good attitude towards that proposal and agrees to achieve it.”
Ruzan Khachatrian, the press speaker of “People’s Party” of Armenia informed that his party “was for collaborated struggle”. “We are for that idea, and must discuss how we should work. The idea is right, and we need in coordinated actions. I think, we must simply take certain steps. I don’t think there will be anybody who is against that proposal.”
“National Unity” also agrees with V. Manukian’s proposal, considering that the opposition is obliged to fight jointly against irregularities of the authorities during the elections.
In short, NDU and DPA leader’s proposals are approved by the opposition are, those proposals must simply be achieved after March 3.