The current authorities have done everything possible to turn the upcoming elections into a debate not about supporting one political force or another, but about a completely different question: “Who do you like more — Putin or Trump?” We are being asked to choose between the erratic leaders of two major powers who, instead of thinking about how to create at least some degree of harmony on this planet, constantly fuel wars in pursuit of geopolitical gains.
A related version of that same hollow debate is the question: “Dear citizens, you decide — do you want the EAEU or the EU?” Our people have already made that choice: they want the EU. The peoples of Georgia and Ukraine made the same choice long ago. The problem, however, is that neither we nor they are likely to join the EU in the foreseeable future, for dozens of economic and political reasons. In fact, Armenia has not even submitted an application for EU candidate status. So this is not a real issue at all, and turning it into part of the electoral agenda is simply political sleight of hand.
The same applies to the “brilliant” argument that we should not worry about gas prices tripling because we are supposedly going to become so prosperous that we will easily be able to afford them. As they say, no comment. And as for the promise that “we will have our own gas,” that is something only satirists can seriously discuss.
The real issue in these elections is neither Putin nor Trump, neither the EU nor the EAEU. The real question is what kind of country we are going to live in over the next several years. Personally, the questions that concern me are these: can democratic reforms begin in Armenia? Will there be political prisoners in our country? Will the Church remain autonomous, rather than dependent on the whims of the head of the executive branch? And finally, will Armenia be able to restore its territorial integrity?
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If Pashinyan remains in power, the answer to all of these questions is no.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
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