Recently, the Minister of Education and Science, Armen Ashotyan, called on the mass media not to criticize him for two years to be able to carry out the necessary reforms and demand the results only two years later. I hope that the Minister just joked, but we cannot say that it is not a mentality typical to the authorities, “give me a “carte blanche” for some time,” and I will make reforms during a short time, will clean the Augean stables and so on.”
The whole problem is that such “carte blanche” is given to authorities in two cases, a/ after the revolution, when the excited society trusts the new government so much that voluntarily refrains from criticizing them for their moves for some time, b/ in the cases of dictatorship, when the people’s discontent is suppressed by force. In particular, in 1990-1992, PANM had such a chance and did a lot in the sphere of economic liberalization (I know that the majority now thinks differently), but, for example, in the sphere of education and science, it could make much more radical steps, but as they say, “he did not have the heart.” Now, when the trust in the authorities is a few times less, no minister can go for such steps.
But the whole problem is that revolution is no longer possible in Armenia, nor a dictatorship. In both cases, I will say, fortunately. The losses of the dictatorship do not need particular interpretation. And in case of the revolution, this “carte blanche”, on the one hand, is an opportunity to reform the life dramatically, but on the other hand, it is suchlike opportunity for the government to practice illegalities, “as we are heroes,” “we have struggles,” “we are the guys of the Movement,” “we used to sit and lie in the streets for days,” and so on. Avakov’s letter to the President of Ukraine Poroshenko is an example for you.
And as both the dictatorship and revolution are impossible in Armenia, the government should quit its calls like “do not disturb us, do not criticize us, give us time to work.” They are vain dreams that will never come true. In 25 years, the authorities must have learned that its every move is accompanied and will be accompanied by a sharp criticism: fair and unfair, excessive and discreet, constructive and non-constructive, with and without personal insults, even swear words. Tomorrow, if a different president takes the office, a different political majority and different ministers, or if, let’s say, the average salary becomes 1000 dollars equivalent AMD, the amount of this criticism will be the same, very likely it will also increase.
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No one in Armenia will receive a “carte blanche” any longer.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
