ARF DENIES "BREAK APART" IDEOLOGY
Lilit Poghosyan
Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Sept 26 2007
Yesterday, in "Pastark" club member of ARF bureau, Deputy -Chair
of the National Assembly Vahan Hovhannisyan touched upon the
pre-election autumn "breeze" and over again spoke about the "yarn"
of Dashnakstutyun’s decision to run for the forthcoming presidential
elections with their own candidate.
The speaker formulated two pivotal statements regarding the forthcoming
electoral "battles". "First – do our people accept the reports
saying that the election returns are pre-determined? And do they
agree to participate in the political processes with pre-determined
results. As showed by experience – they don’t. We often speak about the
disappointed attitude of our people and their passive participation in
the elections. This passiveness, this disappointment and unwillingness
is due to the fact that no one wants to accept a pre-determined
path. Everyone wants to see real elections." Though, to be true,
people have always participated actively in the state elections.
Anyway "Dashnaktsutyun will never accept any announcements regarding
pre-determined results or a path. We don’t need a pre-arranged format,
path or a trap," NA Deputy-Chair states.
The second main issue, important for Dashnaktsutyun at this stage is,
"Whether the quality of the pre-election processes will be the same
as it used to be, or we will manage to arrange civilized, political
debates, instead of following "break apart" ideology.
We do not accept "either, or", "black or white", "break apart"
ideologies. We do not accept the agenda issue of the opposition to
stage a coup d’etat. It is the authorities that prompt the opposition
to make similar announcements, later they get an opportunity to
oppress them and put restrictions."
Vahan Hovhannisyan states," Armenia and Armenians have become mature
enough to have a civilized opposition and a civilized authority. Very
often representatives of Mass Media and politicians or those who
consider themselves politicians are surprised at the idea of having
a positive or a constructive opposition.
Whereas in the whole civilized world, as a rule, opposition is
positive and constructive, and those who appear from the position of
"break apart" (or, as the ex-President used to say "decomposing",
"decaying"" ; policy, "all the brown, red or black extremists are
representatives of marginal position and out of political processes."
This model is, alas, not actual in our reality. This is the reason
of the syndrome of "two surprises" connected with Dashnaktsutyun’s
pre-election tactics.
"The first unexpected thing is, why Dashnaktsutyun made a decision
to nominate their candidate for Presidency. Only those who didn’t
perceive Dashnaktsutyun’s political programs in a serious way and were
not serious about the fact that after the elections Dashnaktsutyun
preferred not to form part of the political coalition but to sign
an agreement on mutual understanding and mutual assistance with
coalition," the guest of "Pastark" club recorded.
The second unexpected thing is that Dashnaktsutyun has nominated two
candidates, at this stage. "Actually we must be surprised at the fact
that some parties don’t even discuss, because it is obvious who will
be the candidate. Or some people nominate themselves, not interested
in whether society needs them or not. No one considers it strange."
In response to the announcement made by the member of "Bargavach
Hayastan" party, saying that decency requires "calling back" their
Ministers, and only after that to appear from the position of a
"positive, constructive" opposition, V. Hovhannisyan said," those
must speak about decency whose political viewpoints and publications
usually contradict in a very short period of time. To be decent means
not to cheat and be honest with others. If someone from "Bargavach
Hayastan" or RPA points out that Dashnaktsutyun has breached at
least one point of the agreement on cooperation they can annul it,
with all the consequences deriving there of. But they can’t, because
we didn’t breach any point."
If by miracle Serge Sargsyan has to campaign against Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, at the second phase of the elections, whom will ARF
support? In response to this rather strange question V. Hovhannisyan
gave a rather diplomatic answer. " We haven’t even discussed such an
issue. It is a matter of discussion, but it is not urgent."
Second," I don’t think Levon Ter-Petrosyan will nominate his
candidacy. But this step can even be welcome, because it will shift
the political debate from tactical to strategic issues and will make
the debate more ideological. It is their decision we don’t see any
problem here."
As for slogan of "recovering democratic freedom" with which Levon
Ter-Petrosyan signified his second revelation, "you can say anything,
especially if you have loose tongue."