“Being engaged in local self-government personally for many years, I know persons who more or less know the material, but I don’t see many such people on the lists,” Sos Gimishyan, a member of the Association of Community Financiers and the leader of the Christian Democratic Renaissance Party, expressed this opinion, while talking about the lists presented by different political forces in the run-up to the Yerevan City Council election. Then he added: “There is no conception of local self-government either in the opposition or in the government. It is a profession in the same way as a doctor or an engineer. But it seems to everyone that whoever wishes can engage in politics. This is a bigger task. People should have many years’ experience to try to govern a city. To govern Yerevan means to solve the problems of one million people. Otherwise, it means to put those people in jeopardy. Engaging in politics is a profession that requires experience, time, and greater wisdom. For example, I will never take the liberty of dealing with the issue of the cultural field or express a serious opinion on that. Why do they take the liberty of doing that in politics? It is deception; everyone tries to win over the people’s vote. And if we look at the issue from the political perspective, those included in the city council election list should be able to debate, oppose all that is going on in our country and our city. First of all, the opposition should be such, but not the opposition declared such by the government. And they have declared the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), the Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM)-Armenian National Congress (ANC), and the Heritage Party the opposition. At least three political forces among them don’t take an oppositional attitude. And the real opposition is engaged very little in the struggle these days. In this sense, perhaps, we can single out the Heritage Party.” Harutyun Hambardzumyan, the head of the Choice is Yours NGO, in his turn, said regarding the same issue: “A chess player, an actor, a famous musician, people like these are included in the city council list. Certainly, they are needed too, but if you fill the whole list with their names, it is not right. I agree that the city council should deal with cultural issues, not only social ones, but one can take one or two people, not fill the whole list with their names. I know for sure that those people will decline the list. The man who has deep and comprehensive knowledge of politics, culture, has a general conception should become a member of the city council.” We inquired how efficient including 20-year-old youths, drivers, or suppliers in the city council lists was, how efficient it was for solving the urban problems. Mr. Hambardzumyan replied: “I am not against involving the youth, but they should be people with experience. Now what is the point in my turning out and voting for that list, in which young suppliers are included?”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
