Today is the day of the Armenian Constitution. As known, in Armenia the state holidays, even military victories are celebrated a kind of incompletely, hastily, and particularly the Constitution, which is something extremely abstract and cut off from actual life to Armenia. Consequently, today the facebook opposition will remind that both the initial Constitution of 1995 and the two changed versions of it of 2005 and 2015 were adopted via fraud. They will note as well that the authorities have never implemented a single point of the Constitution. And therefore, they will proceed: “It is a piece of paper.” Well, and the ordinary citizens hardly know why July 5 is a non-working day.
Any stance should be respected and it seems to me that blaming people or “tutoring” them is the most erroneous and senseless occupation. Let me simply tell you what I feel on that occasion (understanding that it can bring forth cynical commentaries). When I hear the word “state”, I kind of feel an alert and gather myself. When I hear the national anthem of Armenia my skin shivers. Yes, as a musical composition, our anthem is a bad one and cannot be compared with the music composed by Aram Khachaturian. Perhaps the anthem and the coat of arms should be changed, although it seems to me that we should measure ten times and then cut once as regards questions like this.
But however our coat of arms and anthem be, they symbolize the state, and the latter, however weak and unsustainable, should be respected and, assuredly, developed. Consequently, my respect towards the state I spread on the flag, coat of arms, anthem, Constitution, court, all the attributes of statehood. Incorrect things may have been written in the Constitution, the constitutional norms can also not be implemented (which is true for sure), the courts can be dependent and corrupt (it happens frequently as well). Nevertheless, to spread the cynicism and nihilism distinctive of us on state institutions means to contribute to its weakness and unsustainability.
Imagine a village or a district, where the property tax is paid by 30% of population, it is so in the majority of the districts of Armenia, if I am correct. Not paying taxes people usually reason by the real or made up stories about the rich people or officials. The district remains in poverty, the roads – demolished, the roof of the school remains with a hole in it. People oftentimes speak of responsibility, but not of their own responsibility. Happy Constitution Day.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
