According to the Chairman of the Board of “Transparency International” Anticorruption Center, Haykak Arshamyan, we are in the transition process from the “miff” to “real politics”
– Mr. Arshamyan, after the four-day war, we witnessed a consolidation of the public but on the other hand, a demand arose in the society to solve various existing problems and change them. Does the government have this conscious?
– The war is a negative phenomenon, but a very interesting transformation took place. I am sure that the majority of the society, the authorities did not believe that such a mobilization will take place in the society in the event of war. This mobilization was broad: via civil initiatives and organizing an aid to the frontline, as well as the society formulated a number of claims and addressed them to the authorities. On the other hand, the society understood that there are two parallel realities: the community lives by itself, the government lives by itself, and this gap was clearly visible during the war, which motivated the community to hasty self-organization.
Now, it is a very convenient time for the society to formulate its demands clearly. For example, a few revelations of corruption took place, starting from the “offshore” up to the negative phenomena in the army. The dismissals of the three top officials from the MoD are the proof of it. The government understood that serious gaps are allowed.
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Next, parallel to the revelation of corruption, the issue of responsibility is also important. Only revealing corruption and dismissing people from the posts is not enough to solve the issue. The experience shows that when any official is dismissed for the negligence of his duties, he is not brought to responsibility. On the contrary, a certain time elapses, and the same person appears and is appointed to another responsible position. In other words, we are dealing with an imitation fight against corruption, which is confirmed by the staff of the Committee for the fight against corruption, who themselves are indulged in corruption.
The next important factor is that the society realized for bearing the responsibility of the security of the homeland. We saw how volunteer groups were immediately formed, certainly, there were people among them whose goal was to make a selfie in the frontline or in Stepanakert as a show-off, but generally, people were going to the frontline spontaneously and purposefully.
The next important change was the gradual freeing from the myth of Russia’s strategic ally. People were already questioning the alliance with the “age-old friend,” the presence of Armenia in the EaEU and CSTO. Essentially, we are in the transition process from the myth to “real politics”.
I must also give importance to the decisive role of the media. Today, the only platform in the country where it is possible to have a serious discourse, to evolve and get a result is the media. The question does not go beyond the discussions at the seminars and various format meetings. The media showed in the “four-day war” that it is a major tool in identifying the problems and solving them. Here, of course, I have some concerns. Usually, when making legislative amendments, Armenia imitates Russia’s legislation, and there is a concern that as Russia restricts the activities of the media, the same would not happen in Armenia all of a sudden.
– Why do the problems in Armenia not get a political formulation along with the public conscious? What obstacles the problems in the political field be clearly formulated and put forth claims before the government authorities on systemic changes and this outbreak would serve to the benefit of the enhancements of our state?
– Such claims have always been in Armenia, but we do not develop the critical part, which will compel the authorities to go for systemic changes. Laying all this only on the political forces and civil society is wrong because it is connected with the defeats and disappointments that the people regularly experiences from elections to elections. The other reason for it is the serious demographic problem in the country. In 1988, Armenia’s population was at least three and a half million, today, it is reduced by half. In addition, people who are fed by the authorities make a particular segment of the society. During these years, the government has expanded and broadened its feeding capillaries. For example, no matter we say that bribe was distributed to the voters during the elections in Hrazdan, however, there is a layer of people in Hrazdan who although is displeased with the existing situation but as long as they are fed from the system, ranging from small- and medium-sized businesses, functionaries and even ordinary citizens, hence, they went and voted in favor of the incumbent mayor. Basically, the government has created a system that is quite difficult to change. Although, some segment of the public came out of marginalization after the “four-day war” by assuming a more serious role, however, the authorities begin extending time and freezing the process. In this respect, I agree that now it is the momentum for the public to try to implement some breakthrough.
Both, the society and the government, realized that our rear is not firm and when you are in a war and your rear is not firm, you will lose in a longer-run segment. Hence, this was a good lesson for everyone. The strengthening of rear in all dimensions has no alternative because if we do not have a strong rear, we will surely lose on Karabakh issue.
An officer staff young and educated abroad is serving in the Armenian army. After the dismissals from the MoD, the old staff of the same system should not be re-appointed to positions again. I know average and high ranking officers’ representatives who have a clear vision not only about the army but also the development of the country and are bearers of the new thinking. It is very important that these young people are involved in the army-building task. Serzh Sargsyan is trying to implement a generation change in the state system but these young people are from nowhere and have not passed a specific way and appointed to an important position, and that’s the end, their voices are no more heard, nothing changes in the sphere. If the young personnel is advanced in the army, I am confident that they will treat the rear, the frontline and non-statutory relations in the army more seriously, which must be put an end to it. There are no non- statutory relationships in the frontline because the ordinary soldier carries a weapon, in other words, the officer cannot treat him like in a military unit. And in this case, highly vertical relationships become friendly, and in such cases, the soldier standing in frontline and the officer are capable of heroism, which we witnessed.
– Right after the Vienna meeting, Serzh Sargsyan gave an interview. Did he have the conscious that the rear is strong? For example, should the Armenian diplomacy not initiate more specific moves in the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh internationally and the return of the Nagorno-Karabakh to the negotiating table?
– Most importantly is to involve the authorities of Artsakh as a negotiating party, without it, we are going to lose the negotiations both tactically and strategically because it turns out that this conflict is between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which results in ignoring the right of Artsakh people to self-determination and the right to live independent. Do we decide how these people want to live? Artsakh people have made this decision long ago, still in 1991, and it was their right, hence, each time attending the negotiating in bipartite format further weakens our position. Artsakh authorities also realize this, and on the days of the “four-day war”, some uncertainty and disappointment were observed by Artsakh authorities, even though people in Karabakh were not openly complaining of the RA authorities, but one could feel that there are reservations over the policy led by RA authorities. When it will be managed to return Artsakh to the negotiation process, we will appear in a favorable situation.
As for Serzh Sargsyan’s speeches and statements, the experience, unfortunately, shows that they actually have nothing to do with the reality. It is said one thing but done a different thing or nothing at all. For years, Serzh Sargsyan was stating that we are able to give a powerful attack to Azerbaijan if it dares to solve the problem by military means… But we saw what happened, in Serzh Sargsyan’s words, we have ceded 800 hectares. Now, the ruling party is trying to bring ridiculous excuses that are uncultivated lands … There are also uncultivated lands in Ararat valley, well, let us cede them too, there are also some in Meghri, let us cede to Iran.
– The government substantiated that the Armenian side has prevented Aliyev’s real goal of occupying one-two regions in few days, accordingly, we have not lost in this regard.
– First of all, I do not think that it was only Aliyev’s goal. At least Russia has a major involvement in this war, selling weapons only to Azerbaijan was already enough. Arming Azerbaijan to this extent and making it aggressive is the consequence of Russian policy. In other words, there was at least one more player in this process of we do not count Turkey. Also, it is a fact that the soldier and the officer standing in the frontline were not aware and ready that the enemy has serious accumulations, and serious subversive acts and attacks are possible. Let the government prove the opposite or let them accept their lack of talent and talk openly about all shortcomings. Another remarkable reality popped-up. The authorities realized that no secret can stay closed longer, the information flows are so multi-vector that it is no longer possible to hide anything. Here, the dissemination of serious information and the effective relation with the international community is also disturbing, where the MoD activities prevail over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Incidentally, it is not because the Defense Ministry takes over and oppresses the Foreign Ministry but it is a fact that our Foreign Ministry is inactive due to the mediocrity of the leadership of this ministry. It is unacceptable that the Defense Ministry has to take over some of the functions of the foreign policy.
– Armenia, in fact, has no allies. Russia is Azerbaijan’s strategic partner and arms Azerbaijan, the West does not trust Armenia because of being Russia’s strategic ally. It turns out we are in the most vulnerable situation, in this case, how can we anticipate the desired solution?
– The international support happens when you are strong. When you are weak, you cannot expect international support. What support did the Tutsi exposed to genocide in Rwanda get? Even the peacekeeping forces that were in this country stepped back allowing the genocide. In other words, if you are not an organized state, you cannot become an international factor. We should not blame Russia, the West or Turkey, but we should try to become an organized state, after which the international aid will not keep us waiting.
EMMA GABRIELYAN
“Aravot” daily
