Gayane Arustamyan, a representative of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), assessed the withdrawal of the Republic Party and the Liberal Party of Armenia from the ANC as political immaturity during a conversation with www.aravot.am, “I think that one cannot leave. If you signed an agreement, if you put forward an issue that was not accepted, you should claim your opinion.” In response to our observation what if one couldn’t do that, there was a leader who didn’t listen to others’ opinions, took his steps and it happened for years, G. Arustamyan said, “What does it mean, he doesn’t listen? If your opinion isn’t rational, but you claim as a small child that it is rational, then take offense and leave, it doesn’t mean that the leadership puts you under pressure. It means that you are not that mature. That you are not that adherent to principles to establish internal democracy, to solve your issues inside.”
In response to an observation that it was not about 1-2 people, there were 18 parties in the ANC, many of which had left, she said the following, “This testifies to the fact that political parties are not mature enough to debate with each other. They are not mature enough to pursue a common goal.”
In response to a question whether one should tolerate, since there are controversies in regard to cooperation with the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), rejecting the offices, maintaining the past and present principles, which were serious, actually they were compelled to follow as mere observers what the ANC parliamentary group did, Gayane Arustamyan said, “I haven’t heard the explanations of those who have left the Congress as an ordinary member or as a journalist so far. Just one declarative statement. For example, I am leaving and I wish Congress good luck. It is not an explanation. First of all, I demand to explain to me, because I am a representative of the Congress and the members of the ANC demand explanation. Perhaps you are right, perhaps I will make my own conclusions. No one explains anything, everyone states that he is leaving and stands up and leaves. It is strange for me. Unfortunately, it also testifies to political immaturity. You should say I have raised this question and it didn’t pass under certain conditions, i.e. I have clarified or I don’t know… if you are right, why don’t you claim and explain, you leave and raise doubts. It seriously damages everyone, them too. Aram Sargsyan is leaving, he doesn’t explain anything. His explanation is basically not an explanation. What should I think of Aram Sargsyan? There is a sort of fog around him, around the Congress, around the relations between him and the Congress. They put ordinary members of the Congress in a stupid condition. I don’t know who is right and I say the one who leaves is wrong. Since it is wrong to leave the struggle, just because an idea or a proposal of yours is not passed.”
There is a controversy between Gayane Arustamyan and the ANC in regard to the attitude toward the PAP at the moment. Representative of the ANC Gayane Arustamyan, as opposed to Levon Zurabyan, has a reservation in regard to the withdrawal of the PAP from the coalition, “Yes, I have a very serious reservation, Moreover, considering the character, trajectory, mentality and deeds of the main figures of the PAP, I don’t trust that party at all.”
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According to Gayane Arustamyan, Levon Zurabyan speaks as a politician, a representative of the ANC leadership, “These are statements on the political stage. I speak as an ordinary member, a citizen. I speak very subjectively, my opinion is not checked with anyone.”
In response to our question whether she was put under pressure in the Congress for not sharing others’ opinion, she assured that no, “Perhaps I am the one who speaks stricter than anyone else. I have never noticed that I am looked askew at in the Congress. I represent the ordinary members of the Congress, not the political elite. I don’t have those aspirations, frankly speaking. I cannot imagine whether it is possible to repress. The regime cannot put me under pressure, not to mention the Congress.”
Many members who have left the Congress state that they were repressed in the Congress. Gayane Arustamyan said in this regard, “If I leave the Congress, I will not do that, because I don’t agree with the political path of the Congress. It will just be my conclusion on this situation as a whole that it is not possible to change anything in this total nightmare. As for the Congress’s pressure, I am just surprised when people say something like that. Even if there is disagreement in the Congress, even if I express an opinion, with which the Congress doesn’t agree, it doesn’t mean that I will stand up, take offense and leave the Congress. Who can tell me to abandon my struggle?”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
