* Commenting on the fact that the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) left the coalition government, analysts think that Levon Ter-Petrossian’s scenario “has been realized,” since he stated a few months ago that he tried to “drive a wedge” between the PAP and the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). Do you also think that the developments are in accordance with the first president’s “scenario”?
* I would have understood what Levon Ter-Petrossian’s so-called “scenario” means, if there had been a confrontation, a controversy between the RPA and the PAP. However, realizing the situation in Armenia, I seriously doubt that the PAP can have serious controversies with the RPA or its leader. The Democratic Motherland Party political council has not convened a meeting during this period, the party’s opinion is not defined, but in my opinion, it is, perhaps, a worse scenario, and it is very probable that during the 2013 presidential election, the PAP will isolate the opposition. If that process is carried out, the opposition will have to struggle for another 5 years to overcome the crisis.
* So, the PAP doesn’t make the political stage clearer, but makes the situation more complex, cornering the opposition?
Read also
* The PAP certainly employed all kinds of fraud and election bribery during the election. The PAP hasn’t won the real vote of the public. Now, it enters the opposition camp through its not so fair result and will appear with the image of an oppositionist. The logic implies: why did the government allow the PAP to employ all possibilities of election fraud; why should the PAP be able to become an opposition? There is only one conclusion – the government wants to see the PAP in the opposition camp in accordance with the scenario desirable for them.
* Hasn’t the Armenian National Congress (ANC) discussed those issues, because Levon Zurabyan, the ANC coordinator, and some representatives of the central office reacted to the move of the PAP quite enthusiastically, they said that the situation on the political stage was changing, new opportunities of consolidating the opposition camp were offered?
* The ANC hasn’t held a discussion yet. God grant, I am mistaken about this issue. However, considering the Armenian reality, where all oligarchs have become oligarchs at the expense of the people, evading taxes and laws and the wealthiest of all oligarchs is the leader of the PAP, that party cannot confront the system of government.
* Do you think it is possible that as a result of future developments and in case of the possible cooperation between the ANC and the PAP, the party you head will leave the ANC, since the ANC central office doesn’t rule out such cooperation?
* When the PAP is declared an opposition force on May 31, the political council of our party will have a discussion and will express its position. However, I have already said that staying or leaving the ANC is not a goal in itself. We still see the potential that the ANC can change the situation. When there is an alternative force willing to change the situation in Armenia, the Democratic Motherland Party will make a decision. Our party will not change its decision because of the PAP’s attitude, moreover, we will try to lead the developments in the direction that will help change the situation in the country.
* You say the ANC has the potential to change the situation – having the potential and wishing to change are not the same thing. The ANC hasn’t wished to make any strategic and tactical changes, in order to change the situation for a long time already, doesn’t this restrain you?
* The aim of our party is to try to combine potential and desire. To put it mildly, to make the ANC go for changing the situation. I think that there are many individuals and forces in the ANC, which greatly desire to change the situation in Armenia as soon as possible. The rest, naturally, have their calculations. One
should consider everybody’s approach, to combine and try to come to a conclusion and to find a way out. By the way, such a process has been under way in the ANC for one year already.
* Do you condemn those who left the ANC after the parliamentary election?
* Certainly, no. I don’t have the right to condemn anyone. It is the business of every party to decide. I am also convinced, I don’t rule out that if the ANC starts serious and intensive processes, the cooperation in that field with the forces that have left the ANC will resume.
* Do you think that the ANC can have serious aspirations in the 2013 presidential election, given its present condition?
* Armenia is in such an economic, moral and psychological condition, particularly, after this latest usurious process that they call an election, when people sold out for 10-15-20 thousand are already in shock… One can change the situation in Armenia every day, if accurate steps are taken and a respective center of power is formed.
NELLY GRIGORYAN
