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ANKARA: Armenian PM - A Resignation, Not To Change Anything

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  • ANKARA: Armenian PM - A Resignation, Not To Change Anything

    ARMENIAN PM - A RESIGNATION, NOT TO CHANGE ANYTHING

    Cihan News Agency, Turkey
    April 4 2014

    AM_ERIV - 04.04.2014 16:26:07

    Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has decided to write his name
    into the history books, but late, and with small letters.

    Submitting an appeal on resignation, Sargsyan did not manage to
    save his image, which noticeably suffered after Yerevan spat on all
    agreements with the West and voluntarily surrendered to the Customs
    Union.

    Reasons for resignation are obvious - the unsuccessful policies of
    Sargsyan, who sent Armenia's already anaemic economy into a coma;
    the policies of the Armenian president who did not support the
    prime minister's European aspirations; and of course the Kremlin's
    discontent over the PM, who is supporting Armenia's right for European
    integration.

    In fact, Sargsyan just lost himself. On one hand, the PM said he
    was ready to sign an agreement on economic association with the EU,
    and on the other hand he was negotiating to join the Customs Union.

    The prime minister's pro-Western orientation was also like a bone in
    the throat to a handful of Armenian oligarchs who run the political and
    economic systems of the country. Apparently, Sargsyan's recent visit
    to Brussels, where he said Armenia is ready to sign the political
    part of the association agreement, seriously worried the people who
    decide the fate of the poor little Armenia.

    The matter here rests in the fact that the common customs legislation
    in the Customs Union will play into the hands of the oligarchic top
    of the Armenian political elite, which in fact govern the country.

    Following Armenia's joining the Customs Union the major importers -
    the well-known Armenian oligarchs- will be able to conduct the majority
    of their deals inside the shadow economy.

    After joining the Customs Union the customs duties, levied on
    Armenia's border, will go to the union's budget, and then, according
    to a predetermined quota, return to Armenia's state budget. That's to
    say, the oligarchs paying customs duties when importing goods will get
    their money back from Armenia's budget and this will only aggravate
    corruption and limit the opportunities of small business. In this
    state of affairs, Sargsyan could not stay in power, even if he really
    wanted this.

    Nevertheless, his resignation is unlikely to change anything, and
    certainly it will not improve the economic situation in the country.

    Armenia is not expected to recover from its economic coma when the
    only means that could have helped -European integration -was rejected
    in favor of the interests of a handful of people.

    Armenia has no border with Russia. It has more to lose and nothing
    to gain from joining the Customs Union. In fact, Armenia's accession
    to the Customs Union will not solve any financial problems, since
    there will not be investments made in an Armenia that has actually
    openly declared itself a Russian outpost. The West will not take
    the risk and rather fears to face the Russian pressure. So, in fact
    Armenia doesn't have any economic reason for joining this structure
    as distinct from the integration to European institutions.

    Well, the hopes of the Armenian opposition, led by ex-President Levon
    Ter-Petrosyan, who considers the resignation of the prime minister
    as the first step in the process of regime change in the country,
    are no more than a hope, they are unrealizable.

    Armenians are not Ukrainians and do not often actively protest against
    the exchange of their lives and well-being for the authorities'
    vassal flirting with the "elder brother".

    "Every nation deserves its ruler" and this phrase will determine the
    further extinction of Armenia headed by its weak authorities.




    From: A. Papazian
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