To be honest, I thought that over time, the notions of “Baden-Baden” and “Mansions of Monument” would gradually disappear from Armenia’s political discourse. I hoped that they would be transferred from the political sphere to the legal field, because, as they say, the nail is in the hands of the government and the hammer. In other words, if it is proven that the owner of one of the “Monunent Mansions” built their home with stolen money, then three and a half years, I think, is enough to prosecute that owner.
If they did not prosecute the owner, then the talk of mansions is just a propaganda phrase used by the authorities to keep the hatred of their electorate alive. If it is proven that Serzh Sargsyan visited a casino in Baden-Baden on a certain day, lost a certain amount of money there, and stole that amount from, say, the state budget, then why is the third president still free? And, by the way, why are Gagik Beglaryan, Gagik Tsarukyan, and Alexander Sargsyan (also known as the legendary “Sashik”), whose alleged “crimes” were talked about almost every day at different times, still free? Have they been ‘paid off?’ That is why they have forgotten about their existence.
In short, my hopes for “Baden-Baden” and “Monument” did not come true. The Prime Minister and the representatives of his team keep that “argument” as an answer to any question or criticism. And those toponyms continue to be heard during almost all the sittings of the National Assembly. Soon, probably, all the discussions will take place in the following scenario. Question: why are so few people vaccinated against the coronavirus? Answer: Baden-Baden. Question: why have fuel prices risen so sharply? Answer: Monument.
…When it comes to “populism,” people usually understand populist rhetoric. But all the politicians of the world, both pro-government and opposition, speak this way with few exceptions. Nobody wants to say unpleasant things to the people. Populism, in my opinion, is keeping the people and groups “embodying evil” at the center of people’s attention. The goal is clear- to convince people that all their problems are due to the existence of those individuals. In other words, all complex problems have easy solutions.
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That is why “Baden-Baden” and “Monument” will be heard as long as someone will listen to those words.
Aram Abrahamyan
