OLIGARCH’S ERA REACHES ITS SUNSET – EXPERT
26.12.12
President of the Regional Studies Center Richard Giragosyan thinks
the oligarch’s era is reaching its sunset in Armenia.
Summing up the 2012 domestic policy developments at a Wednesday news
conference, the expert said that the oligarch’s role in the economy
is likely to decrease. Giragosyan thinks the authorities have realized
that the oligarchic system is the country’s number one enemy, with the
public growing to think more negatively of their anti-social conduct.
Giragosyan evaluated 2012 as a positive year in terms of domestic
economic developments. He particularly highlighted the importance of
the Armenia-EU negotiations over visa facilitation and the free trade
agreement. In the meantime, he pointed out to the shortage of economic
opportunities, and jobs, with the economy being largely dependent on
foreign transfers.
Speaking of the May parliamentary election, the analyst characterized
htem as positive but not satisfactory. He said that the despite the
oligarchs return to the legislature, the polls also saw a clever and
strong opposition win seats.
Giragosyan’s last remark concerned the situation in the military,
particularly the unacceptable deaths and the degrading attitude to
conscripts. He said it is important to think of rapid measures to
do more than has been done in the sector as the problem hasn’t been
fully resolved.