To be an opposition in Armenia is neither heroism, nor crime. It has been so for three years, since the moment when political prisoners were released in the spring of 2011. Today, the oppositions have their businesses in our country (and sometimes big), their TV channels, websites, newspapers, where they freely express their views. It is a phenomenon typical to normal and civilized countries, in contrast, for example, to Turkey, where the country’s supreme body banned the “Twitter”, the Vice President of which, in fact, met with the President of Armenia yesterday.
Some people believe that it is a manifestation of weakness of the power. I do not know, maybe it is so. However, personally, I prefer such “weakness” than a manifestation of “strength” and “willful features”, like for example in 2006, when Rule of Law party turned to opposition, and the next day these businessmen MPs were forced to withdraw from the faction and the party under the threat to “break down the business”.
Of course, this positive change cannot be explained only by the good will of the government, the society and the political parties, in the last 6-7 years, have become more mature, and the foreign political factors have also been changed. However, if tomorrow someone with “willful features” comes again to power, who will be guided by his willfulness and vindictiveness, the oppositions (whoever they are) and the social activists will be surprised or perhaps will even rebel of why they have stepped back from the current situation.
And since the opposition manifestation is no more a sign of encouragement, it is also no more a sign of being better, kinder, and more “national”. It just means that given party or the person has various perceptions from the government about the development of the country and is sure that having appropriate leverages, it will lead the country in the right direction. PANM-NDU style of personal hostility, blackmailing, and remind each other’s crimes is slowly passing to the history.
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PAP, ARF and Rule of Law were right not to entering into coalition, which makes sense only in the case when any power has relative majority, and there is a necessary to negotiate with other parties. Where there is an absolute majority of the power, coalition is senseless. Let all these forces, the “Heritage” and the ANC, together or separately, submit their alternative program for the development of the country, let them demand the resignation of any statesman. It will only work for the benefit of the community, and no matter how surprisingly it may seem the Republican Party will have to turn from governmental-nomenclature-bureaucratic structure into a political one.
And perhaps in that case the policy will cease to be a “gladiator match”, during which the “chiefs” sitting in their precious armchairs are instigating their subordinates to fight.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
