Frankly speaking, the open sessions of the government do not give material to me, as a journalist. “These tasks were given”, “these projects were confirmed”, boring formalities. I can be informed about this also from official messages. As far as I know, no minister has ever told s/he would not implement any task, or no government has ever rejected confirming any project univocally, inasmuch as everything is given, presented and confirmed beforehand.
From time to time, especially in the years of the incumbent PM, certain contradictions occur about which it is interesting to tell the reader or the TV viewer. However everything is rather boring overall. “Deadhouse”: this is how one of my colleagues characterizes similar processes.
The aforementioned is incomparable with the National Assembly, the discussions there are more heated. Although, if it was up to me to decide, then I would choose not covering National Assembly’s sessions as much as we do currently. When the results are known before the game, the “technical skills” of the players can be assessed, but eventually, it is clear who is going to “hit a goal” and who is going to “celebrate the victory”.
Thus, the open sessions of the government do not give anything – everything is clear, the decisions are made in another place and before the session. But when suddenly they decide to hold closed sessions and bring up odd substantiations as if advanced countries practice this system, you start to doubt on it naturally. And why yesterday, today and before April 9 the mentioned “advanced” experience was not being practiced? Why do they fear from stranger eyes?
If we speak of state secrets then “reported” and “not reported” issues exist today as well. They say, “If there are no video cameras, we will hold a debate, be honest, express ourselves more critically towards the ideas of our colleagues.” Taking the traditions of the “elite” of Armenia into consideration, I will afford myself doubting it. I am more inclined towards thinking that everything will be as the “boss” decides. This is the case not only with the government. Do you imagine anyone arguing with Gagik Tsarukyan in the Prosperous Party of Armenia or with Levon Ter-Petrossian in the ANC?
Consequently, I suppose, there are some serious reasons for holding closed government sessions about which, naturally, it is not spoken.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
