New political traditions are required
Substantiating why it is necessary to say “no” to the draft of the new Constitution, former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, citing a “well-known statesman and politician”, opines that Serzh Sargsyan is afraid of the new Serzh Sargsyan. Translating from diplomatic language into plain language, this means that the current president is afraid of the second president. It is a natural opinion for a figure working as a foreign minister during the latter’s tenure. The same “No camp,” to which, apparently, Mr. Oskanyan affiliates non-officially, at times notes that the government authorities are trying to intimidate the public with “Kocharyan’s return” but, on the other hand, a part of the “camp” remarks that the Constitution is amended to block the road of the second president to the “throne”. Therefore, the motivation that is attributed also to the authorities is indirectly confirmed, however, with the so-called “minus sign”.
In other words, “you want to amend the Constitution to remain in power, and we want not to amend the Constitution in order to come to power.” Maybe, both are right. I have already had the opportunity to write that I do not care about people’s personal intentions, also because we do not know what will happen in two weeks instead of two and a half years. And in general, as they say, if you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans. There is another problem here and it is about the continuity of the power and the state traditions. When the president was changed in 1998, for a few months, the new government was trying to maintain the state ethical norms, and the violent attacks on the “previous criminal regime” were sporadic. But afterwards, the true “witch hunt” began, with the involvement of the whole state machine.
When the president was changed in 2008, during the first one or two years, the relationships between the “former ones” and the “current ones” was normal, but later on, the second president perhaps became upset that his approaches are not taken into consideration and began quite tough attacks on the current government with the help of PAP and minor parties and politicians. Now, Robert Kocharyan thru the lips of his foreign minister expresses a supposition that maybe Serzh Sargsyan also fears that after his departure from the power no one will take him into consideration, and the new president will behave himself exactly the same as the current president with him, Kocharyan. That’s why I’m talking about the state traditions. The first figures, both during the tenure and after it, should display an example of broad-mindedness and tolerance to the government system and, why not, for the whole society. After losing the power, they should not feel upset that they are not listened to, not paid attention to and so on.
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On the other hand, the acting president or, if the Constitution is amended, the prime minister, should have the effective means (it does not matter what it will be called) to consult with earlier presidents. The state should not suffer from these people’s personal ambitions and the problems between them … As it is accepted in our political culture, we prefer “reading tea-leaves”, and I will make my tiny contribution in this “fortune-telling”… The year 2020. Minister of Health Karen Avagyan comes to see Prime Minister Armen Ashotyan and say, “I want to find a good position for my uncle’s son so that he also would earn money. But the boss seems to be against it.” Ashotyan, “No problem, go ahead in good cheer!”
Aram ABRAHAMYAN,
Aravot daily
