POSITIVE MESSAGES OF JUNE 20 RALLY
Lilit Poghosyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
June 24, 2008
Armenia
Interview with the member of RPA Counsel, Head of NA Committee on
Credit and Financial-Budgetary Affairs Gagik Minasyan.
"On the eve of June 20 Deputy Head of the police ensured that he would
never allow to organize illegal demonstration in front of Matenadaran.
Immediately after the "negotiations" with the activists of Armenian
Pan National Movement the rally took place. Don’t you think that this
fact can be considered the weakness of the authorities? Don’t you
think this is the reason why Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters are trying
to put pressure on the ruling power?"
"I don’t think so. In my view we deal with another manifestation,
for which I’m very glad. For a long time we face positive developments
connected with "March 1-2" events. The inquest process is rather swift,
only some cases are left, to be sent to the court. In my view after
a short period of time the investigation of these cases will also be
over and the court will issue a verdict and all the questions will
find their answers.
It is really good that the authorities allowed the demonstrators to
hold their rally in front of Matenadaran.
In fact the two sides managed to find a way out from the created
situation.
Of course there are still lots of unsolved problems, especially
linked with "March 1" and the temporary committee tends to solve this
issue. In my view the activity of the opposition should also tend to
the same objective. The last meeting inspires hope that their future
actions will be more constructive. Both the state and the citizens
will only benefit from it."
"To what extent is your optimism justified, in case when after the
demonstration LTP’s supporters have threatened to kill, hang, murder
the representatives of the "regime?"
"The developments before March 1, in my view were much more aggressive.
This rally was far not aggressive and it really inspired positive
hopes. I must mention that the authorities, in the person of the
police did everything to avoid crash between the people and the
law enforcers. In my view this precedent will continue and we will
gradually overcome this situation, which is really shameful for both
the ruling power and the opposition. When on June 25 PACE discusses
the process of implementation of resolution 1609, in my view the rally
of June 20 will have a really big role there. The reserved behavior
of both the authorities and the opposition was the positive message
that both the opposition and the authorities gave to the society by
their behavior."