“This is the first time I hear about that; I don’t have a slightest idea. I haven’t been in such a situation, what’s more, I don’t think I can enjoy such a status. We have our independent statehood; what shadow government can there be?” Samvel Karapetyan, an expert in monuments, said this in response to a question of www.aravot.am whether S. Karapetyan thought he could be in the shadow Cabinet to be formed by Raffi Hovhannisyan. Let us remind that Nikol Pashinyan announced the name of S. Karapetyan, as well as those of a set of socio-political figures, in Freedom Square, offering to involve them in the new institution that was to be formed. The name of Artur Sakunts, the manager of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office, was also announced in Freedom Square. Mr. Sakunts conveyed the following with regard to that: “I express opinions or give assessments only when there are actions taken by the government or decisions in the field of human rights protection. I can express an opinion on political processes or the opposition’s actions only when there are issues related to the field of human rights in their plans. They are people who do their job. I don’t want to be involved in the executive branch and will continue my activities as a human rights advocate. My specialty is human rights. For example, I can target issues like whether they exercise the right to freedom of assembly or not, whether there are obstacles or not, regardless of whether it is the Armenian National Congress (ANC), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), or another political force.” The next figure whose name was announced in Freedom Square was Sarhat Petrosyan, an architect. During a conversation with us, he expressed the following idea: “Although I found out about that on your website, I think that anyone has a right to make such a statement about anyone. As always, I am ready to contribute my professional abilities to the exercise of any citizen’s right to have a favorable environment.” Artak Zeynalyan, a human rights advocate and a member of the Republic Party political council, was also on the list of persons whose candidacies were announced for membership in the shadow Cabinet. A. Zeynalyan considers it as a rhetorical statement and states that before announcing the names, Nikol Pashinyan made comments in advance, and one cannot make better comments than he did. Continuing, A. Zeynalyan stated: “People announced names of persons who have potential, in accordance with the idea they adhere to, and it is their right to have that opinion. If people think that I can serve the Republic of Armenia and the people in any way, it is only too demanding. And Nikol Pashinyan had the right, the freedom to say what he said; he did very well.” The name of Levon Barseghyan, the head of journalists’ club Asparez, is also among the candidacies that were announced. He said during a conversation with us: “I don’t think I can be in the Cabinet. I can never be a part of the executive branch, and I think I can participate in these processes only as a political activist. There are a few reasons: for example, my character doesn’t allow me to engage in administrative work. I am an anarchist. I think that I am too free to hold any office in the administration. I don’t think I can work in that field. On the other hand, it won’t come to that. Nikol, as I understood, announced the list of possible people. However, I am sure of one thing; this government has to go home. One cannot keep the state and the people conquered for decades. I am going to do everything possible using the most surprising, unexpected, and unprecedented means so that this government led by Serzh Sargsyan goes home as soon as possible.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
