Political analyst Armen Aghayan about pre-election developments
– Political pre-election arrangement and rearrangements are underway in the political scene. What is the “Hayazn” position? Which wing do you see yourself? Which pole do you support?
– Our program to organize a national wing and nominate a list by public preference unfortunately failed. It was moving with great difficulty in the beginning too. There were two main reasons: on the one hand, a very bad public prevailing attitude against all parties and participation in the elections, on the other hand, the difficulty to collect money from people when there is no membership culture. Subjective reasons were added to material difficulties: separate members displayed a very irresponsible behavior. The last was “Sasna Tsrer” movement which totally diverted the attention of our disposed circle from the main political and pre-election process. As a result, late in 2016, we suspended our efforts to nominate a list in the national wing by public preference. Affiliating to any other ideological pole except oligarchic or national would have been a very big unprincipality. Hence, any representative of “Hayazn” ideological-political team simply will not participate in this choice.
– Four wings are already definite: the alliance formed around Gagik Tsarukyan, the alliance formed around former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, “Yelk” alliance and the ruling RPA and ARF. What does the process of formation of these alliances suggest to us? What elections are awaiting us?
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– A meaningless circus. The stomach of responsible Armenian voter wants an apricot, he is offered to choose between rotten cabbage and rotten tomatoes, saying that this is what we have. Plus, now every mediocrity imagining himself respected in the neighborhood yard is nominated by the rating. As to the structure of the opposition, there is no news. As usual, the opposition is replenished with former functionaries, sponsorship lost oligarchs and fragments of formats previously defeated opposition. And this revanchist staff does not suggest any essential program relating to national problems but a change of individuals.
– Do you believe the opposition image of Gagik Tsarukyan and Seyran Ohanyan? Are they sincere in their intentions?
– They may be sincere, especially if they were dismissed by Serzh Sargsyan from the government trough and consider themselves unfairly aggrieved. But several important questions always remain. Firstly, what is these people’s connection with the public? Secondly, what is their essential difference from the ruling elite whose part they constituted for a long time? Eventually, does Serzh Sargsyan have no leverage over them if he feels a real threat?
– Hovik Abrahamyan left RPA with his teammates. It is rumored that other prominent Republicans like Mher Sedrakyan, Gagik Beglaryan and others will also leave RPA. Do you think that the ruling wing weakens therewith? What was the implication of Serzh Sargsyan’s and Hovik Abrahamyan’s natural sciences debate?
– I think Serzh Sargsyan dismissed these people himself, he is establishing a strict authoritarian regime and simultaneously, carries out a change in generation. He is getting rid of ambitious images, substitute them with more obedient and void of self-dependence people but more presentable and yet not so much polluted with his servants. Some of those who are dismissed will resist but whether it will weaken the authoritarian regime or, on the contrary, strengthen, time will tell.
