Representatives of Armenia’s political elite—both government and opposition—whatever they may claim, do not truly know what steps are needed to pull our country out of its current deep hole. (And everyone knows we are in that hole.) Frankly, I do not see a good way out either; otherwise, I would gladly advise our politicians. What is clear is that, with the “Washington Papers,” Pashinyan is simply buying time, giving himself the opportunity to reproduce his power. His re-election, however, has nothing to do with the interests of our country—in fact, it runs counter to them.
That said, a few considerations for the opposition:
On the Washington Documents
The documents signed in Washington on August 8 are bad. They offer no positive prospects for Armenia, and the artificial joy of Pashinyan’s propagandists is simply laughable. But this does not mean that any political force should even hint in its propaganda that it plans to review or refuse to implement the commitments in these documents. Political solidity demands the opposite: a clear declaration that, if it comes to power, it will honor all obligations undertaken by the state. This, of course, does not preclude pointing out that these commitments are the result of the current government’s disastrous mistakes.
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On Street Protests
If I were the opposition, I would not waste resources on a street struggle before the official election campaign. I am not referring to rallies or demonstrations over specific issues, but to mass protests aimed at changing the government. While there are likely hundreds of thousands of people in Armenia dissatisfied with the current authorities, few will take to the streets. One reason, no doubt, is that the last time—back in 2018—street protests led to disastrous consequences.
On Robert Kocharyan
The opposition, including the deputies of the Armenia bloc in this parliament, should—respectfully and in a friendly manner—urge the second president, Robert Kocharyan, not to participate in the upcoming elections as the leader of a political force. His absence from that role would significantly undermine the effectiveness of Civil Contract’s propaganda.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
