Nikol Pashinyan is one of the unique people in Armenia who had always been against the working government for the entirety of the third republic. He did it as a journalist, as an editor, as a member of the opposition, and as a revolutionary. Gathering a political team which consists of people like him is impossible. The youth that supported the current prime minister during the Velvet Revolution hadn’t been “tarnished” by staying silent during the former authorities’ time in power and by not fighting or getting used to it because they weren’t at an age to have done so then. But it’s also impossible to create a team that completely consists of them.
Therefore, it’s logical to make use of Armenians’ intellectual and professional potential. Over the past 30 years, there have been people who have held positions, perhaps they “compromised” with their consciences, perhaps they ate “moldy bread,” but they answered “no” for several crucial questions, and that had an important and fateful influence on making the right decisions.
I’ll use the previous revolution as an example, the one carried out by the Pan-Armenian National Movement. Levon Ter-Petrossian’s opponent during the 1990 elections for President of the Supreme Council, longtime communist Vladimir Movsisyan continued to work in favor of our state after the elections. Prime Minister Vazgen Manukyan suggested that the former government’s deputy prime ministers Gagik Martirosyan and Ruben Chivtalaryan remain in their positions when he was appointed. Head of the Central Committee Department Gagik Harutyunyan became the vice president of the High Council. No one said (at least, not officially) that their political party robbed the country for 70 years, even started a “Red Terror” at times, and, therefore, they have no place in the political system. Was it bad that Vladimir Movsisyan was able to influence decisions made for the next 25 years? I think it wasn’t so bad.
Of course, the conditions today are much different than 30 years ago. It’s clear that those who are accused of committing crimes cannot be allowed close to the state system. It’s also natural that representatives of the former regime do not need to give their status. But making use of their opportunities would have been correct, in my opinion, because not doing so would lead them towards an uncomfortable RPA political environment where they have no future because the political party has no future. Politicians such as Vigen Sargsyan, Vache Gabrielyan, Vardan Aramyan, Davit Harutyunyan, and Arpine Hovhannisyan need to get rid of their political ties and take part in the construction of the state. That’s why the good will of the authorities, the RPA, and the aforementioned people is necessary.
Aram Abrahamyan
