Yesterday it was informed that President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan fired Alik Sargsyan, the Chief of Police of the Republic of Armenia, and appointed Vladimir Gasparyan, the Deputy Minister of Defense, to that office. Regarding this appointment, human rights advocate Artur Sakunts, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office coordinator, said during a conversation with “Aravot” that appointing a man like Gasparyan the Chief of Police of the Republic of Armenia shows that the state pursues the policy of not caring for the public opinion. “It is normal for the authority to appoint a man like Vova Gasparyan who publicly opposes the movements for public initiatives the head of a serious law-enforcement body, i.e. the Chief of Police. It showed how the authority treated the society. And, certainly, it fits in the pre-election logic when they try to strengthen the police, which is a tool of violence and oppression in the hands of the government against social movements or figures. From that perspective there is nothing surprising, but if they hope to impede our public activities by that, they are wrong”, Artur Sakunts said.
Concerning this new appointment, the head of the Heritage Party parliamentary faction Stepan Safaryan had a bit different notion. According to him, appointing Vladimir Gasparyan the Chief of Police is certainly pre-election preparation. In response to the question what Vladimir Gasparyan could do in this office that Alik Sargsyan hadn’t, the MP said, “The issue is not what he didn’t do, but whether he could do more, in order that Serzh Sargsyan didn’t have any problems.” Stepan Safaryan meant the fact of deliberately gathering a large number of police officers in front of the government building to oppose a few dozens of citizens last Thursday that caused anxiety and protest. According to the MP, the problem was whether Alik Sargsyan who opposed a small group of citizens with such a force could take the situation under control, in case of larger force. According to Safaryan, no, “Alik Sargsyan just cannot act, according to the situation. This was rather an issue of abilities that he didn’t have. Now they try to bring one who will be able to act adequately, while taking care of problems.” The MP is convinced that such a switch of personalities at the police means that Serzh Sargsyan wants to have fewer problems related to public opinion.
