The US Embassy to Armenia issued a statement related to the Constitutional referendum held on December 6. Generally, the statement was a normal one, which mirrors the concern of all of us related to the irregularities, forgeries and electoral crimes during the referendum. One paragraph, however, seemed to me quite strange. “In accordance with the U.S. commitment to fight corruption worldwide, the U.S. Embassy can also draw upon the information contained in such reports to help assess whether any individuals who directly interfered in the integrity of the December 6 electoral process can participate in Embassy programs or activities.”
First of all, I do not know who has assigned a mission to the United States to fight against corruption worldwide, the messianic manifestations, no matter by whom they incur: the US, Russia or any other country, I particularly do not like because no state is perfect in this respect. But, let’s put it aside.
It is not clear whom the US Embassy means when speaking about the “individuals who directly interfered in the integrity of the December 6 electoral process”. My impression is that several thousand people were involved in such “black deals”. We call most of them “neighborhood hooligans”, but in reality, they are minor owners highly dependent on the government, as well as unemployed “earning money for one tummy bread” from time to time”. This category of citizens is unlikely to submit an application to participate in the US Embassy programs and events. It is different for the school principals and teachers who “traditionally” are involved in the electoral frauds. They sometimes, perhaps, participate in some programs and can become a target of threats in this regard. But those thousands of people, after all, are the screws of a “greased” the machine for a full 20 years. I do not know to what extent it is correct to “punishment” them.
There is one more question. Which reports of the media should become the basis for the US Embassy’s punishments? If I publish a photo of a man and write underneath, a “scoundrel” (perhaps considering it the peak of the journalism), whether it is a sufficient ground for the US Embassy to “reject granting visa” to this man or not involving him in some programs.
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And finally, the United States, of course, is a friendly country for Armenia. But no friend will do our job instead of us. Hence, we should not particularly be delighted with these statements.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
