“If we estimate the attitude of Armenia on some important issues, if it refers to joining the Customs Union, then we can learn about it from Viktor Khristenko, if we need to find out something about Karabakh, we need to learn about it from Lavrov, and if we want to learn something about the domestic political situation in Armenia, we will already learn about it from Vladimir Putin, through ОРТ TV channel. Armenia’s President’s speech no longer presents any significance because he does not decide anything on Armenia. The decision is made by the Russian state officials. Therefore, it makes no sense to discuss the content of Serzh Sargsyan’s speech,” so interpreted the expert for political and electoral technologies, Armen Badalyan, referring to Serzh Sargsyan’s speech at the RPA party’s 15th Congress. To our question of whether what Serzh Sargsyan speaks is agreed with Putin, Armen Badalyan replied, “They might be not agreed, but he is not the decision-maker. The decision-maker is the Russian leadership. My words do not mean that the speech of the RPA Congress was written in the Kremlin, but what he said is nothing. When Vladimir Putin announces in St. Petersburg that the Eurasian Economic Session will be held on May 29, and Armenia will be signing some documents, when even the leaders of Armenia are saying that it is yet not clear what will happen there, but if Putin announces that it is going to sign, then it makes no sense to discuss any speech of the President of Armenia, no matter whether it was voiced at the Congress, or elsewhere. It is clear that the decisions are taken there. What they decide, will happen.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
