Tweet
SELF-DEMOLITION HAS NO BRAKES
Siranuysh Papyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/interview25548.html
Published: 17:07:17 - 22/03/2012
We talked to Stepan Danielyan, chairman of Collaboration for Democracy
Centre NGO, on the election process in Armenia
The party lists have been published. In your opinion, what are the
parties' expectations from the elections?
I thought we should have expectations from the elections, while the
parties should try to live up to them but the reality is the opposite.
Certainly, there were expectations from the upcoming elections,
everyone thought an ardent competition would be there but judging by
the developments, the elections can be considered over.
People who are aware of these processes can guess the composition
of the next parliament 95% right, they can even guess the next
government. In brief, all the deals have already been made. We can
stay at home on the day of the election and watch football. As to the
expectations of parties, they haven't changed - they want to be fat and
happy - and we have no role in the fulfillment of these expectations.
What are the society's expectations from the elections? 5,000 or
10,000 drams or a different parliament, as Serzh Sargsyan has been
vowing since January?
As to election bribes, I think they will not have a big role. The
discussions on election bribes explain the vague results of elections.
This practice does exist but the talks about it are expedient first
of all for the ruling group. They just need to blame the society.
If the society has no expectations for improvements in the result of
the elections, on what or who should the society rely?
First, it is necessary to understand what we mean by "society" or
to formulate the expectations. It is pointless to dwell on their
implementation at least unless they are formulated. One of the old
Republicans said on these days that all the layers of the society
are represented on the Republican Party list. It sounds very funny at
first sight but in reality I understand what he means because for the
Republicans the society consists of businessmen, the criminal world,
the leadership of the law enforcement system, etc. In other words,
all those who participate in the formation of government by way of the
notorious methods. The rest are those who are out of the game and they
need to pass a long way in order to be called society. First of all,
they need to be able to influence the formation of the government after
which they can set forth their claims. Serzh Sargsyan has always had
the skill of know this "society" very well and he has always reached
relevant agreements resorting to unexpected solutions. In this sense,
he is unequaled in Armenia. Only the ANC seems to be out of deals
and agreement. Let's wait for developments.
What may result from free and fair elections? Is there a force
representing the interests of the society?
I don't see such a force right now. If the elections were free and
fair, we would have a parliament similar to the current one. I think
so because it is necessary that a force, which is to form a government
and build the country we want to have, have relevant internal party
rules. If there is a force in Armenia which forms its party list
through secret ballot rather than having a couple of people make the
list, then we may expect essential change.
The civil society is fighting for Mashtots Park and other issues. Can
this fight give birth to new Armenia?
We have two ways of development. In one case, we will certainly lose
Armenia, in the second case - we can have a new Armenia. The second
way has few chances and here the civil society, the young people will
be the basis on which everything will be built but I'm a pessimist. We
don't have so much time and resource, while this is a self-demolition
machine which has no brakes.
Future Armenia, I don't mean the one we dream of but the one which
is to come against our will, so I see it as a Gaddafi and Assad
rule where the political forces fighting against each other will
unite around the relatives, friends, drivers and bodyguards of the
president and their private life will determine out future.
Siranuysh Papyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/interview25548.html
Published: 17:07:17 - 22/03/2012
We talked to Stepan Danielyan, chairman of Collaboration for Democracy
Centre NGO, on the election process in Armenia
The party lists have been published. In your opinion, what are the
parties' expectations from the elections?
I thought we should have expectations from the elections, while the
parties should try to live up to them but the reality is the opposite.
Certainly, there were expectations from the upcoming elections,
everyone thought an ardent competition would be there but judging by
the developments, the elections can be considered over.
People who are aware of these processes can guess the composition
of the next parliament 95% right, they can even guess the next
government. In brief, all the deals have already been made. We can
stay at home on the day of the election and watch football. As to the
expectations of parties, they haven't changed - they want to be fat and
happy - and we have no role in the fulfillment of these expectations.
What are the society's expectations from the elections? 5,000 or
10,000 drams or a different parliament, as Serzh Sargsyan has been
vowing since January?
As to election bribes, I think they will not have a big role. The
discussions on election bribes explain the vague results of elections.
This practice does exist but the talks about it are expedient first
of all for the ruling group. They just need to blame the society.
If the society has no expectations for improvements in the result of
the elections, on what or who should the society rely?
First, it is necessary to understand what we mean by "society" or
to formulate the expectations. It is pointless to dwell on their
implementation at least unless they are formulated. One of the old
Republicans said on these days that all the layers of the society
are represented on the Republican Party list. It sounds very funny at
first sight but in reality I understand what he means because for the
Republicans the society consists of businessmen, the criminal world,
the leadership of the law enforcement system, etc. In other words,
all those who participate in the formation of government by way of the
notorious methods. The rest are those who are out of the game and they
need to pass a long way in order to be called society. First of all,
they need to be able to influence the formation of the government after
which they can set forth their claims. Serzh Sargsyan has always had
the skill of know this "society" very well and he has always reached
relevant agreements resorting to unexpected solutions. In this sense,
he is unequaled in Armenia. Only the ANC seems to be out of deals
and agreement. Let's wait for developments.
What may result from free and fair elections? Is there a force
representing the interests of the society?
I don't see such a force right now. If the elections were free and
fair, we would have a parliament similar to the current one. I think
so because it is necessary that a force, which is to form a government
and build the country we want to have, have relevant internal party
rules. If there is a force in Armenia which forms its party list
through secret ballot rather than having a couple of people make the
list, then we may expect essential change.
The civil society is fighting for Mashtots Park and other issues. Can
this fight give birth to new Armenia?
We have two ways of development. In one case, we will certainly lose
Armenia, in the second case - we can have a new Armenia. The second
way has few chances and here the civil society, the young people will
be the basis on which everything will be built but I'm a pessimist. We
don't have so much time and resource, while this is a self-demolition
machine which has no brakes.
Future Armenia, I don't mean the one we dream of but the one which
is to come against our will, so I see it as a Gaddafi and Assad
rule where the political forces fighting against each other will
unite around the relatives, friends, drivers and bodyguards of the
president and their private life will determine out future.