I have seen three power changes in Armenia during my life. In 1990 the Communists were replaced by the Pan-Armenian National Movement members, in 1998, the Pan-Armenian National Movement was replaced by the group formed within that power that did not have a clear party affiliation but ultimately led to the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. Finally, the movement led by Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018, which currently has the unconditional support of the majority of the Armenians living in Armenia and worldwide.
In general, with all kinds of reservations, those power changes were positive, at least in the sense that change is better than stagnation, new impulses, new approaches create an opportunity to review the past, learn from it, and try to move forward. This is especially about the first and third changes of power when the society directly participates in the process.
However, reservations and concerns are important for people who follow these processes for 28 years, which must be perceived not as an expression of “wickedness”, as an attempt to spoil a bright revolutionary mood, but as a friendly advice, reminder, warning, urge to be vigilant. In 1990, they were looking for “hidden communists” anywhere, in 1998 members of the Pan-Armenian Movement “seeking revenge”, and now “secret Republicans”. This was so, of course, not only in Armenia but after any revolution: French, Russian, etc. After the revolution, many people think that the world is divided into two parts: the “winning people” and the “dead monster” (I do not note the remaining qualifications here to save space). This period is inevitable, but it is desirable to last short in Armenia.
One of the negative manifestations of the “post-revolution” is the winning team’s confidence in its infallibility. Moreover, if they do the same, what the previous ones did, they consider it absolutely acceptable, because they are good, they are fair and morally different from the previous ones. For example, when the new authorities start forging elections, they say, “We are different, we may do this, we should not give the power to those cursed Communists (the Pan-Armenian National Movement, the Republican Party members)”. Similarly, all the remaining defects that existed during the “previous criminal regime”.
One of my friends has said: “The revolution can be considered a victory if Nikol Pashinyan and his supporters lose during the next elections”.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
