BABKEN ARARKTSIAN: UNLESS POLITICAL FORCES CAN STIR UP SOCIETY NO OUTER FORCE CAN CHANGE ANYTHING IN COUNTRY
YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. “The current authorities formed an
atmosphere in Armenia when the opposition can’t present its views to
the public. Even in 1988, in spite of the persecutions, it was possible
to organize rallies and now a rude force has command everywhere,”
Babken Ararktsian, Chairman of the Armat (Root) Center for Development
of Democracy and Civil Society, Speaker of Armenian Parliament
in 1992-98, declared at the June 2 meeting at the National Press
Club. According to him, Armenia was left out of all regional projects
and stopped being a factor in the region. At the same time, Ararktsian
didn’t exclude that processes taking place in the post-Soviet area
can involve Armenia, too. Nevertheless, according to him, one should
realize that in spite of the possibility of a strong pressure on the
processes in the country outer interference can’t play a decisive
role. “Unless the political forces are able to stir up the society,
no outer force can change anything in the country,” Babken Ararktsian
declared. In his estimation, today Armenia is a police state when no
member of the opposition can speak by any TV channel. “But I hope that
even in conditions of this police state some resources will be found
and the opposition will be able to organize meetings with people,”
he mentioned. The former speaker expressed anxiety in connection
with the draft constitutional amendments: “These amendments give the
President such authorities, about which leaders of other countries
can’t even dream.” In particular, he paid attention to a number of
articles fixing President’s right to personally bring in a state of
emergency. Besides, in his affirmation, no terms are mentioned in
these articles. “We should do our best in order that these amendments,
and, in essence, this is a new Constitution, shouldn’t be adopted,”
Ararktsian declared. As for Karabakh conflict’s settlement, Babken
Ararktsian declared that this issue is solved and asked not to create
illusions. He grounded his position in this issue by both Istanbul
Charter and speeches of heads of leading states.