Recently, criticism from various sides is being voiced against National Assembly deputy Nikol Pashinyan for some reason. The “criticism”, to put it mildly, voiced by Pavlik Manukyan, a member of the group that has been involved in an armed attack on a police station in July 2016, also was “reminded”. I think that during those days Pashinyan acted either good or bad, but as a politician. Unlike several dozen pro-government and oppositional deputies, who did not act in any way. And unlike those who were provoking clashes, calling on to break through the chain of policemen who had blocked the armed group with the wish to “join the guys”.
Now the deputy’s goal is to make the Republican Party of Armenia appoint another figure as Prime Minister instead of Serzh Sargsyan through a street fight. No matter to what extent this claim is logical, it is better when a politician tries to do something in line with his beliefs and ideas, than the situation when he does nothing.
It is another matter that street fight has its own regularities. If there are no organizational structures coordinating this fight, then a narrow circle of supporters will come to Liberty Square, and the base of the gathered will be unemployed pensioners and unemployed people around the Opera House, who absolutely do not care who fight for what. These people want to hear harsh words against the power, and to address some insults and curses in their turn. This has been the situation for 25 years, since 1992 rallies.
Those who gather in the square in such cases are also our citizens, their voice should also be heard, their opinion should be respected, but through that mass, the opposition or, more precisely, the oppositions of different times have not achieved and will not achieve their quarter-century dream: the change of power.
It is very important to understand who your audience is. I am sure that it cannot be the “whole nation” because it is not that the “whole nation” wants the same thing. A considerable part of that nation expressed its true, profound, “declarative” opinion a year ago, taking 10,000 drams and voting for the Republican Party.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
