To gain an ally, one must first achieve internal cohesion.
“Will they make an effort for a people from whom they will receive neither benefit nor assistance?”—a rhetorical question of this kind appears in the Book of Isaiah, addressed to the Jews who, without any real grounds, had placed their hopes on the support of the Egyptian Pharaoh (Isaiah 30:5).
The prophet was urging them not to rely on anyone except God. This could be interpreted as a call to sit idly by and wait for divine grace. But that is not the point. The point is that one must act—but based on certain principles (faith), not in contradiction to them.
For at least two decades, Armenia tied its security hopes to Russia, and in the end, that calculation proved wrong. Now, like an offended child, we have rushed toward the United States and the European Union, asking them to replace Russia. The EU essentially does not have its own armed forces; it is only now beginning to think about that, and even if it starts serious military-building today, the first stage of that process will be completed, at the earliest, in five years. The United States’ military power is, of course, indisputable, but relying on Trump’s WhatsApp for Armenia’s security is probably not wise. A man who often makes mutually contradictory statements three times a day is unlikely to drop everything and rush to save Armenia—a country whose location, and even name, he hardly knows. Perhaps it would make more sense to revisit this issue in 2028, when the United States will have a new president.
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But until then, another Azerbaijani attack (whether with tanks or otherwise) and ethnic cleansing are by no means out of the question. So which “Pharaoh” should we rely on now? I think—none. Of course, political and military allies are necessary. Real allies—not people who will come here and deliver pompous speeches.
But an ally and a “patron” are not the same thing. I am convinced that a real ally or partner can be found only when peace and cohesion are established within the country. When the authorities do everything to deepen divisions, when they beg foreign “patrons”—save us from external and internal “hybrids,” help us cling to our chairs so that we may be useful to you… in such circumstances, even if the authorities are helped, the state will not be.
Pashinyan cannot remain in power in any other way—that is, without harming the state. But after Pashinyan, the primary task of any new government must be internal cohesion. And let us not be afraid of the word—democracy.
Since the early decades of the 20th century, democracy has gradually been losing its value-based meaning and has turned into a purely technical procedure. That is how we end up hearing a European official say: we will help Pashinyan build a stronger democracy. Which, translated, means: we support Pashinyan’s policies, which suppress his opponents, because they are “undemocratic.”
For me, however, democracy has a value-based and, specifically, a Christian meaning. The Savior died for everyone; for Him, neither rank, nor nationality, nor social status mattered. The care and warmth we show toward our neighbor is, in fact, an attitude toward God, because we see Him in every person.
This, in my view, is the foundation of democracy. And it must manifest itself within the family, the community, the workplace. Only then is it possible to respect any position, to listen to anyone, and not to treat those who disagree with you as enemies.
The democratic agenda does not sound prominent in this pre-election period. The authorities speak of it, as I have already said, in order to use it as a stick against their opponents: “We will establish such a democracy that all anti-democrats will end up in prison.” The opposition, for its part, is not particularly interested in the topic of democracy either.
We must be honest and acknowledge that the majority of our society is not particularly concerned with democracy either. “They say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right; tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions’” (Isaiah 30:10).
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
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