On Sunday municipal elections will take place in a set of villages and towns of Armenia. Hardly one doubts who will win in the elections. The opposition decided not to enter the competition, in some villages the PPA “good guys” will win and the vast majority of the village governors, mayors will be comprised of similar “good guys” from RPA. The names of the parties are not important at all, they are conditional. If a struggle goes on in villages and towns, the competition, let us say, takes place between the clans of Poghosyans and Petrosyans, both can be from RPA or RPA non-party, or RPA-PPA, depending on “whose trace had those guys pursued” back then.
Nonetheless, the non-participation of the opposition evokes doubts. That fact speaks not only of the lack of money, the absence of organizational institutions, but also of laziness and indifference. Yes, reaching success is almost impossible, but not to try, not to try the “physical condition”, not to enter into an interaction with the citizens. Let me remind you that except for the 3 political parties within “Yelq” bloc, there are a number of other opposition parties in Armenia – ANC, “Consolidation”, “Heritage”, “Rule of Law”, etc. Is the function of the parties “shaking the air” once in 4-5 years?
Municipal elections took place in Georgia, in October 22, where almost everywhere the incumbent party gained a “striking victory”. The European observers assessed it as another step towards democracy. In tomorrow’s elections suchlike victory will take the incumbent party of Armenia as well. Overall, the elections will pass in a tranquil atmosphere – perhaps one or two RPA or PPA will slightly stab each other with knives, eventually, it is a struggle among clans for some levers. However, I should repeat myself, no special sensations are to be expected. And the representatives of the civil society will characterize it as another step towards strengthening the dictatorship.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
