On December 14, after Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) made a statement that he would not announce his candidacy for president, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) political council convened a meeting to discuss the current situation. Arman Musinyan, the spokesman for the Congress, stated: “The logic of what has happened is that the PAP has renounced the memorandum signed with the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), and thus, a considerable part of the ruling political system in Armenia has broken off the pyramid.” So a positive thing – probably, thanks to the wise tactic of the ANC – happened, a deadly blow was struck against the regime, after which one just had to blow, and the regime would fall. In 10 days after that, the ANC figures expressed conviction many times that Ter-Petrossian would announce his candidacy and would implement the change of power. Moreover, as recently as on Saturday, after the Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM) congress, that party leader told journalists that he was inclined to think that Ter-Petrossian would be nominated. And Gagik Jhangiryan, a member of the National Assembly, said more brusquely: “If you haven’t concluded from Ter-Petrossian’s speech today that Ter-Petrossian would be nominated, that’s bad. I have no doubt that Ter-Petrossian will be nominated.” (www.yerkir.am) The people I have mentioned above are not among “inner-ANC dissidents,” “traitors,” and are not “out of the line,” so to speak. They are members of the first president’s entourage, his loyal comrades-in-arms. However, Ter-Petrossian didn’t inform them about his plans either and was not particularly concerned how accurate those figures’ predictions would be.
Therefore, not announcing his candidacy was a good and honest decision, there are no two ways about it. But the problem is the timing and the enigmatic silence that followed it. From my perspective, it would have been much more useful for the Congress, its leaders, its activists and supporters, if they had gathered those very comrades-in-arms on September 1 and said: “Dear friends, I will be 68 years old on January 9, one cannot be engaged in politics at that age as actively as when aged from 45 to 60. I suggest that you go to the regions, meet with the people and the supporters of the ANC and see which of you 7 can become the opposition’s leader, after which I will express my opinion on the same issue.” Thus, the opposition would have been more viable than it is today. Instead, the path of secret negotiations with the PAP and biting each other “under the carpet” was chosen.
It is still not too late. The ANC should either support Bagratyan or put forward another candidate. And the first president should endorse that person with his authority, in order that the young supporters of the Congress don’t write “Ter-Petrossian” in the ballot. One shouldn’t make the government’s work easier with invalid ballots.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
