According to Levon Zurabyan, exactly half of the government propaganda says that the West is standing behind you, the other half says that it is Russia.
“This is a historical fact. I would say that the opposition had never created such a large front. On September 12, the political forces having a lot of controversies came and signed a document agreeing that the Constitutional amendments serve to the reproduction of Serzh Sargsyan’s power, and this adventure should be rejected. This in itself was a great achievement,” such an estimate was provided by the ANC leader Levon Zurabyan in the conversation with “Aravot”, referring to the “No” movement.
According to him, the government propaganda machine has managed the political forces and civil initiatives and NGOs to split and stand on different sides of the barricades. “The fact that the civil initiatives and organizations came and signed this document together with political forces was also very important and a tactical defeat for these authorities. In fact, their trap no longer functions. A “No” front has been created. All, more or less famous political forces, are included in this front, and those who have not joined, yet are the supporters of the “No”, let it remain on their conscience. And as to how far our alliance will go, it depends not only on the ANC, People’s Party of Armenia, “Heritage” or other civil initiatives but also on all of us.
We should reject these reforms jointly. All depends on whether we would be able to raise people up or not. Unless there is a resistance movement, an atmosphere of intolerance against fraud and no combat environment, they will pass the Constitution much easier. No greater efforts are needed. If there is no resistance, it is easy to forgery. If there is a resistance movement, regardless of the outcome, it is already a victory. And if you manage to thwart their plans, it would be a speedy progress for the democracy in Armenia.”
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We were curious to know that the opposition is in a destructive situation financially, so how they are going to survive, Levon Zurabyan replied, “The dictatorship in Armenia allows the political parties to be registered but strains it whole repressive apparatus not to allow the political parties be financed beyond their control. The examples are many, starting from the destruction of the Sukiasyans business. Many examples can be brought, about which we cannot talk publicly, because after being fallen under the attacks of the government terror and after passing such a cruel path, these people do not want to talk. So confidently the Sharmazanovs speak, saying, “Look, the opposition is not going anywhere, it does not participate in local self-government elections, it does not go to the villages, these same Sharmazanovs forget to mention that it is the consequence of the very same dictatorship terror. Politics is something that requires huge resources. In democratic countries, major businessmen, funding any political force, have serious potentials to make this force to win. In Armenia, since the electoral system by frauds is gone, many people do not see any chance. Even if we sympathize with the opposition programs and the principles, they are reluctant to waste money in a country where winning the public opinion yet does not mean anything. It is an affront to democracy. Time will come when they will sit in jail for these actions.”
To our observation that the authorities are saying that the Western forces are standing behind you and the “No” movement is the last chance to do Maidan, Levon Zurabyan responded, “You are mistaken, exactly half of the government propaganda is saying that the West is standing behind you, and the other half says that it is Russia. We, of course, are very happy with it. This means that the government itself also actually realizes that it does not have the support from the West and Russia for these reforms. They do not have any international support. The rest is just a stupidity, and they are so stupid that they are unable to build their own propaganda at least in a way that someone’s words would not contradict the other’s words.”
HRIPSIME JEBEJYAN,
Aravot daily
