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"Today In Armenia We Have A Uni-Flow Government"

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  • "Today In Armenia We Have A Uni-Flow Government"

    "TODAY IN ARMENIA WE HAVE A UNI-FLOW GOVERNMENT"
    Armine Avetyan

    http://www.168.am/en/articles/7244
    March 30, 2010

    Says the chair of the NA standing Committee on Foreign Relations
    Armen Rustamyan

    - According to the report submitted by the chief rapporteur of the
    UN refugee issues 6226 Armenians found shelter in other countries in
    2009. The number of Armenians applying for shelter in 44 countries
    increased by 43%. In your opinion what serves a result for this?

    - This is the expression of difficult social-economic situation in
    the country. And indeed this is the result of the incorrect policy
    conducted by the RA government. People here simply cannot find jobs.

    They cannot take care of their social issues; neither can they see
    any prospect in this country. And the best and most common reflection
    of this process is the migration of the citizens. They abandon their
    homes and country. The whole world was in crisis and at the beginning
    there was an impression that the situation of our counterparts living
    abroad was difficult. There were saying that here the crisis is less
    and that the Armenians will soon return home. Such exceptions were
    created by our government with its announcements. But this showed
    that the anti-crisis of our government failed. And people don't have
    any expectations from the government. So they find the best option
    of the migration. Indeed during these last years the migration rates
    have increased. Of course there are difficulties outside and there is
    crisis over there too but it turns out that the difficulties existing
    abroad are more acceptable, tolerable than the ones here.

    - Is it only the social-economic situation that created higher rates
    of migration? Have the events of March 1-2 and humiliation of human
    rights not served a reason for the people of Armenia to leave Armenia?

    - The March 1-2 events and the social-economic situation are
    interlinked. In general the three main - national, democratic
    and social issues are interrelated. One can help the other to
    find solution and the opposite may happen too. The issues may be
    multiplied. You can't solve social issues in the country when you have
    serious democratic issues imperiling the country. How can we speak
    about a legal state when at every step the people's rights are being
    violated? As a result of the sum of these issues the migration takes
    place. And if the government wants to find out whether its activity
    is efficient it should check the migration dynamics.

    - Why are you always criticizing the government? Is the issue really
    in the high circles? Can the government resolve the mentioned issues
    on its own?

    - When I say government I mean the whole governmental pyramid because
    in Armenia we have a uni-flow government. There is no separation of
    power. Meanwhile it is necessary that the NA-President-Government had
    checks and balances on each other. We were saying that the economy
    and the politics are extremely linked but now we have appeared in
    a worse shape. After the resemblance of the state-government now we
    are moving to the resemblance of state-party. It is natural that the
    situation will have negative consequences. I don't feel it is possible
    to solve this.

    - If you are complaining so much of the incumbent government then
    what ways do you see for the solution of the issues raised by you?

    - The way is pretty clear. It is necessary to change this policy.

    There are two ways. Either this government should understand that
    this stream is destructive and should proceed with changing their
    course or yes, there should b change of government. There should be
    new political forces, which possess the solution of these issues;
    they have more realistic programs and solutions. And the people should
    be sure that they won't be cheated again. We have to make sure that
    the government just doesn't give promises and renounce those after
    being elected. And it's no accident that before coming to power the
    political force should be right or left by which they are applying the
    social issues and slogans. For making correct reforms the government
    should work objectively and in an unbiased way and their staff
    should be professional. Instead the current government has surrounded
    themselves with loyalists but they are not professional. Currently
    the main agony of the economy is the monopolies. Several dozens of
    people or even less are directing the economy. The government is
    not able to change this situation. The economy is linked with the
    monopolies. Give freedom and competition to the economy.

    - This issue has existed in the country for years when the ARF was
    in the government and Kocharyan was the president. Why were you not
    criticizing the government at that time and why wouldn't you demand
    free competition?

    - Yes, there were such issues back in the day as well but there was a
    certain tendency of resolving these issues. But that wasn't enough for
    us either. The rates of solution were very slow. Now it is not clear
    what direction the government is going to. They are promulgating one
    thing but doing another thing. And not only do we not have progress
    but also are regressing. We have had complaints during the tenure of
    Kocharyan and when we were in the coalition. We have said that the
    main worry of ours is the foreign policy course of the government. Now
    the government has become so uni-course in the country that you cannot
    be a part of the government even if you have 13 ministerial portfolios.

    - Wasn't the government uni-course during Kocharyan's tenure?

    - In 2003 when we joined the same coalition there were serious debates
    and collisions in the coalition. Sometimes the debates may go out
    the frames of the coalition and the society could see that. There
    were various viewpoints. I don't know if there are any differing
    viewpoints? I don't see those.

    - Recently the report of the OSCE/ODIHR was publicized on human
    tortures, which had criticized the RA judicial and police systems. Do
    you share the concerns of these structures?

    - I agree. Moreover, it was necessary to speak about these issues long
    ago and not just now. In these sectors concrete reforms are necessary.

    There cannot be a legal state if the judicial system is not
    independent. There is lack of trust to the judicial system. People
    are trying to move their cases in foreign countries to win it. The
    only achievement that we had is that people now can apply to the
    European Court. People are doing everything today to move their cases
    to the European Court. This has happened as a result of Constitutional
    reforms. That's why I am saying that at the time there were positive
    tendencies.

    - During the tenure of the previous government the ARF had a high
    role and this gives grounds to assume that the ARF wishes to return
    Kocharyan.

    - This was spread by the journalists. The ARF says whatever it wishes.

    - The president of the Federation of International Defense of Human
    Rights (FIDH) Suer Belasen made a special message, by which it urges
    the Armenian government to release the political prisoners. HE also
    urged the government to objectively investigate the death cases of
    10 victims of the March 1-2 events. Do you agree with Belasen?

    - We have done the difficult reforms and revised the articles of
    the Criminal Code, which relate to political contents. And the last
    political step wasn't fulfilled. The amnesty was necessary and if
    we condition this with the events of March 1-2 events and the text
    of the amnesty said that it was connected with that then the amnesty
    should have been applied for everyone. But this wasn't done. And as
    a result we have a semi-complete step taken. And this is the reason
    why we have the current situation. These issues must have political
    solutions. If you wish to close the page of March 1-2 you should take
    rapid political measures. As long as we don't have this the page cannot
    be closed. The page is not closed because the motives of the events
    are not simplified and the consequences are not examined properly. The
    circumstances of the death of 10 people are not investigated. This
    is a very heavy case and it's necessary to get rid of it as soon as
    possible. The necessary political will wasn't demonstrated.
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