Yesterday, in Brussels, neither wars started and nor bright prospects opened in front of Armenia immediately. I do not share euphoric moods, as well as assessments glorifying our authorities, we could not waste 4 years in vain. From the other angle, I do not see certain logics in the behavior of the opposition: at first they told the agreement would not be signed, that Moscow would make us step back from that at the last moment, and when the agreement was signed yesterday, they started to speak as if it is a completely unimportant, symbolic paper, which does not have any significance – anyways, everything will go worse. There is another group, which is principally against the cooperation with the EU, inasmuch as they are assured that Europe is “spoiled”, and Russia is the embodiment of purity. Within the position of this group, nevertheless, consistency exists.
Among all those political games I am interested not in momentary pinches or stings, but values and ideologies, which are the keystone of the document. Armenia-EU agreement is neither a life ring, nor a panacea, it is an opportunity which we can use. I am against family violence, discrimination for sex, nation, color, political views, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation, government pressures on courts and media, unequal conditions for all entrepreneurs – this is a complex, the elements of which are interconnected.
Can the EU contribute to the fulfillment of those objectives? I think – yes, it can, but on a condition, if the majority of our society truly wants that. Frankly speaking, I have some doubts. In any case, no one can make us become tolerant and broad-minded, if our will is not to be narrow-minded, prejudiced and stereotyped. Subsequently, the main work to be carried out, is with our society and those who believe in those ideologies, should not be afraid, should not step back when the people with old-fashioned mentality throw stones on them. The agreement is not important, the steps are important, which our society should implement towards modernization.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
