Turquie : A Quoi Sert Desormais Le Parlement Europeen ? Par Laurent

TURQUIE : A QUOI SERT DESORMAIS LE PARLEMENT EUROPEEN ? PAR LAURENT LEYLEKIAN

En 1999, le Conseil europeen reuni a Helsinki accordait a la Turquie
le statut de pays candidat a l’Union europeenne.

Depuis lors, chaque annee, les instances de l’Union evaluent
les “progrès de la Turquie sur la voie de l’adhesion” selon un
processus peu ou prou invariable : la Commission europeenne emet
tous les automnes un “rapport regulier” evaluant les “avancees”
du pays candidat en termes de respect des critères politiques (les
fameux critères de Copenhague), des critères economiques et en
termes de capacite a transferer l’Acquis communautaire -roboratif
compendium de 33 chapitres de règlements europeens- dans son propre
corpus administratif, juridique et legal. Et chaque annee, le rapport
regulier de la Commission fait l’objet d’une appreciation politique
du Parlement europeen par le biais d’une resolution dont l’elaboration
commence en janvier pour se terminer vers avril.

L’ouverture officielle des negociations d’adhesion avec la Turquie en
octobre 2005 n’a que peu affecte le processus. Celui-ci est d’ailleurs
le meme pour tous les pays candidats.

Sauf que la Turquie n’est pas n’importe lequel des pays candidats. Par
sa taille, son poids demographique, economique et politique, ce pays
d’Asie Mineure ne se compare en rien aux confettis balkaniques que
sont les autres postulants a l’adhesion.

En termes d’eloignement des standards europeens non plus.

La Commission europeenne n’est plus assez gentille pour Ankara

Jusqu’en 2005-2006, il etait de tradition que le rapport d’une
Commission que d’aucun considerait comme acquise a la cause turque
soit notoirement misericordieux vis-a-vis des innombrables manquements
d’Ankara en matière de Droits de l’Homme et de respect de l’Etat de
Droit. Tout le monde le savait et l’usage voulait que la resolution
idoine du Parlement europeen -la seule instance democratiquement
elue de l’Union- corrigeât le tir en pointant les violations graves
et repetees par le regime d’Ankara de ses engagements vis-a-vis de
l’Union que ce soit en matière de politique interieure ou d’affaires
etrangères.

Or il semblerait que depuis quelques annees ce soit l’inverse.

Desormais, la Commission ose critiquer -certes toujours en termes très
mesures- certaines des politiques d’Ankara qui, si elles etaient le
fait d’autres Etats, declencheraient les foudres de Bruxelles. Par
exemple :

“Le fait que la Turquie n’ait realise aucun progrès sensible dans
la mise en ~uvre integrale des critères politiques”, qu’elle se
rende coupable de “violations recurrentes du droit a la liberte
et a la sûrete, du droit a un procès equitable et de la liberte
d’expression, de reunion et d’association”, qu’en matière de torture,
“le recours excessif a la force reste preoccupant” et que “seuls de
timides progrès ont ete constates dans la lutte contre l’impunite”,
que “la fermeture frequente de sites web est très preoccupante” ou que
“des cas de violence et de recours disproportionne a la force par les
forces de securite ont ete observes lors des manifestations n’ayant
pas recu d’autorisation prealable”.

A tel point que, le 31 decembre 2012, fort marri de l’avis de
la Commission, Egemen Bagis, l’impayable ministre turc charge des
negociations avec l’Union europeenne, a crû bon de sortir son propre
rapport où il se congratulait des (non-)progrès realises par son pays.

Un rapport indigne du Parlement europeen…

Et qu’en dit le Parlement europeen ? Et bien, depuis que Mme
Oomen-Ruijten (Conservateur, Pays-Bas) est chargee de rediger la
version initiale du rapport soumis a sa Commission des Affaires
Etrangères puis a son Assemblee Plenière, celui-ci voit finalement
la Turquie d’un ~il aussi bonasse que M. Bagis. Le dernier texte
propose par Mme Oomen-Ruijten a ladite Commission et que l’auteur de
cet article s’est procure est a cet egard exemplaire :

A en croire le rapporteur, il faudrait que le Parlement europeen
“felicite la Commission et la Turquie pour la mise en ~uvre du
programme de developpement de relations constructives, lequel prouve
comment […] la Turquie et l’Union pourraient faire progresser
leur dialogue, parvenir a une comprehension mutuelle et amener des
changements positifs”, qu’il “encourage la Turquie a adopter le plan
d’action pour les droits de l’homme tel qu’elabore […] en cooperation
avec le Conseil de l’Europe […] afin d’apporter une reponse aux
questions soulevees dans les arrets de la CEDH, dans lesquelles il a
ete constate que la Turquie violait les dispositions de la Convention
europeenne des droits de l’homme”. Il faudrait meme que le Parlement
europeen “demande a la Turquie de consentir des efforts renouveles en
faveur d’une solution politique a la question kurde”, qu’il “souligne
l’importance de la creation d’une agence independante qui traiterait
les plaintes en la matière afin d’enqueter sur les plaintes liees
aux violations des droits de l’homme, les mauvais traitements et
d’eventuels agissements illicites des services repressifs turcs” et
que, sentencieusement, il “souligne qu’il est important de recourir
a tous les instruments de l’Union disponibles dans le domaine de la
promotion des droits de l’homme de manière a soutenir activement la
creation et le bon fonctionnement de l’institution nationale turque
des droits de l’homme ainsi que la participation des organisations
de la societe civile”.

…Face a un Etat renouant avec la violence politique

Bref, il existe deux Turquie : celle fantasmee par le rapporteur où
tout ne serait matière qu’a felicitations et encouragements et la
Turquie reelle, celle qui emprisonne ses opposants et leurs avocats,
celle qui bâillonne les journalistes, celle qui occupe militairement
Chypre, qui oppresse sa minorite kurde et qui assassine de vieilles
armeniennes a Istanbul, des crimes recemment denonces par Amnesty
International ; en clair, celle qui -si elle s’appelait l’Iran ou
la Coree du Nord- n’aurait legitimement droit qu’a des condamnations
les plus fermes et a des exigences les plus comminatoires.

Certes la version provisoire du rapport de Mme Oomen-Ruijten pourra
etre amendee et ceux qui se contentent de peu remarqueront que,
ca et la :

Le rapport “exhorte la Turquie a continuer de redoubler d’efforts en
matière de prevention […] contre les crimes d’honneur, la violence
domestique et le phenomène des mariages forces et des filles mariees”,
qu’il est meme “preoccupe face a l’utilisation alleguee d’elements de
preuve incoherents” pour deplorer que des procès “aient ete entaches
d’inquietudes quant a leur ampleur ainsi que de lacunes dans la
procedure”.

Ils pourront se rasserener en notant que :

Le Parlement europeen “deplore que la Turquie refuse de remplir
l’obligation de mettre en ~uvre, de manière integrale et non
discriminatoire, vis-a-vis de l’ensemble des Etats membres,
le protocole additionnel a l’accord d’association” ou qu’il
“rappelle qu’une solution politique ne peut reposer que sur un debat
authentiquement democratique sur la question kurde et s’inquiète
du nombre important de procès intentes contre les ecrivains et les
journalistes abordant la question kurde ainsi que de l’arrestation
de plusieurs personnalites politiques, maires elus au niveau local
et conseillers municipaux, syndicalistes, juristes, opposants kurdes
ainsi que de militants des droits de l’homme en lien avec ledit procès
du KCK”.

Les doubles standards du Parlement europeen

Cela est fort joliment dit, mais on peut craindre que si peu de
doleances exprimees avec tant d’apprehension soient peu efficaces pour
amener un Etat autoritaire et dangereux comme la Turquie a modifier
ses pratiques criminelles.

On imagine mal qu’un texte aussi insipide puisse empecher de dormir
les responsables du jugement inique qui a condamne Pinak Selek a
la perpetuite au mepris meme du droit turc. On doute qu’il puisse
dissuader les nervis du regime qui ont recemment procede a la rafle
arbitraire d’une quinzaine d’avocats. On doute aussi qu’il effraye
ceux qui souhaitent voir condamnee en tant que “terroriste” la jeune
franco-turque Sevim Sevimli “coupable” d’avoir colle quelques affiches
et d’avoir participe a un concert.

On doute enfin et de manière generale qu’il incite serieusement
le regime en place a faire quelques efforts de nature a ameliorer
ses scores en matière de liberte de la presse, un domaine dans
lequel la Turquie vient recemment d’etre classee au 154e rang
mondial, c’est-a-dire derrière l’Irak et la Birmanie et proche de
l’Azerbaïdjan !

Sans doute, le rapporteur actuel du rapport du Parlement europeen sur
la Turquie est-il de l’avis consternant et banal qu’il ne faut pas
“brusquer” ou “humilier” Ankara afin de garder la Turquie dans le giron
occidental. Cette rhetorique, bien qu’aussi vieille et eculee que la
candidature turque a l’Union europeenne elle-meme, semble continuer
d’exercer son action sur la mauvaise conscience qui affecte (a tort)
a les Occidentaux dans leurs relations avec les pays musulmans. Depuis
des lustres, la très habile diplomatie turque joue avec efficacite
sur cette corde.

Une politique inefficace qui decredibilise le Parlement europeen

Mais, outre qu’on ne comprend pas bien pourquoi ce qui vaut pour la
Turquie ne vaudrait pas pour l’Iran, les Talibans voire les islamistes
du Mali, on doit surtout constater qu’elle est totalement inefficace.

Toute la patience, toute la longanimite, toute la faiblesse meme de
l’Union europeenne n’ont jamais incite le regime d’Ankara a progresser
: la Turquie occupe toujours Chypre, nie toujours le genocide armenien,
exerce encore un blocus criminel de l’Armenie et certains suspectent
meme qu’elle ait renoue avec les executions extraterritoriales,
pour l’instant de Kurdes.

Meme d’un point de vue geopolitique, l’illusion d’un pretendu ancrage
occidental de la Turquie semble se dissiper.

Les recentes declarations d’Erdogan sur une possible integration
de la Turquie a l’Organisation de Cooperation de Shanghai (OCS) ne
constituent finalement que la reaction de la seculaire politique de
chantage et d’opportunisme conduite par ce pays et en disent long
sur la “vocation” de ce pays a integrer l’Union europeenne.

Un analyste aussi peu suspect d’hostilite envers la Turquie que Daniel
Pipes a recemment ecrit que :

“L’OCS en tant qu’union de pays diriges par des dictateurs et des
autocrates n’exigera aucun de ces critères d’adhesion. Contrairement
a l’Union europeenne, les membres de Shanghai ne feront pas pression
sur Erdoqan pour qu’il liberalise mais ils encourageront les tendances
dictatoriales qui sont en lui et que tant de Turcs redoutent deja”.

En conclusion, on peut legitimement estimer que le Parlement europeen
serait bien inspire de ne pas adopter de resolution qui, par leur
faiblesse insigne, s’avèrent totalement inefficaces a influer sur les
fondamentaux politiques du regime d’Ankara et n’ont finalement pour
seul effet que d’ôter a l’Union europeenne le peu de credibilite qui
lui reste.

Le Huffington Post

mardi 19 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/laurent-leylekian/adhesion-turquie-union-europeenne_b_2678724.html

Sarkissian Reelu (Officiel), Son Rival Conteste

SARKISSIAN REELU (OFFICIEL), SON RIVAL CONTESTE

EREVAN, 19 fev 2013 (AFP) – Le president sortant Serge Sarkissian a
ete reelu en Armenie avec plus de 58% des voix, d’après les resultats
complets diffuses mardi par la Commission electorale centrale, une
victoire contestee par son principal adversaire, dont les partisans
denoncent des fraudes massives.

M. Sarkissian, 59 ans, a obtenu 58,64% des suffrages contre 36,75%
pour l’ex-ministre des Affaires etrangères Raffi Hovannissian, 54 ans,
selon la Commission qui a annonce un taux de participation de 60%.

“Cela a ete la meilleure election dans l’histoire de l’Armenie
independante. Elle montre que les processus democratiques sont
irreversibles”, a affirme Edouard Charmazanov, porte-parole du Parti
republicain de Serge Sarkissian.

Mais dans la soiree de lundi, a l’issue du scrutin mais avant la
proclamation des resultats definitifs, Raffi Hovannissian assurait etre
le veritable vainqueur et appelait M. Sarkissian a conceder sa defaite.

Serge Sarkissian “doit devenir le premier president de l’Armenie
a reconnaître la victoire du peuple. Notre peuple merite d’avoir
un president elu de jure”, avait-il dit, parlant de lui-meme. Le
porte-parole de M. Hovannissian, Hovser Hourchoudian, a pour sa part
denonce un scrutin “honteux marque par une quantite enorme de fraudes”
et a appele a une manifestation mardi après-midi.

Les partisans de l’ancien ministre des Affaires etrangères ont fait
etat d’usage d'”encre sympathique” pour permettre des votes multiples
et de “caravanes” de taxis et de cars pour emmener aux urnes des
electeurs favorables au gouvernement. “Nous avons recu vers 18H00
des centaines de messages concernant les violations massives du code
electoral comme le bourrage d’urnes, l’intimidation et l’achat de
votes”, est-il ecrit dans un communique diffuse par l’etat-major
electoral de M. Hovannissian.

La police a, quant a elle, qualifie ces accusations d'”inventions
manifestes”. Les cinq autres candidats en lice, parmi lesquels
un ex-Premier ministre, Hrant Bagratian, et l’ancien dissident
sovietique Parouïr Haïrikian, etaient très loin derrière MM. Sarkissian
et Hovannissian. M. Bagratian a d’ailleurs lui aussi deplore des
“infractions massives”, soulignant qu’il n’excluait “pas des actions
de protestation après le vote”.

Les observateurs de l’Organisation pour la cooperation et la
securite en Europe (OSCE) doivent donner mardi a 07H00 leur bilan
de ce scrutin. L’election de lundi etait un scrutin-test pour la
democratie dans cette ex-republique sovietique du Caucase.

En 2008, la victoire de M. Sarkissian a la presidentielle, egalement
contestee par l’opposition, avait declenche des manifestations qui
avaient degenere en affrontements après l’intervention de la police,
faisant 10 morts. La campagne electorale pour la presidentielle de 2013
a ete assombrie par une attaque contre M. Haïrikian, blesse par balle a
l’epaule le 31 janvier, et par la grève de la faim d’un autre candidat.

Trois des principales forces d’opposition, qui disposent de 48 des
131 sièges au Parlement, ont refuse de participer a cette election.

Les autorites espèrent que le calme prevaudra, afin de pouvoir
ameliorer les perspectives d’integration europeenne de ce petit pays
enclave du Caucase du Sud, peuple de trois millions d’habitants,
et qui ne dispose pas de ressources en hydrocarbures contrairement a
ses voisins. Vazguen Akobian, un charpentier de 53 ans, a vote pour
le president sortant. “Il a des nerfs d’acier et, en tant que chef
de l’armee, il peut prendre de bonnes decisions”, estime-t-il.

Siranouch Mnatsmkanian, 67 ans, considère en revanche que son pays
a besoin d’un dirigeant d’un “nouveau type” comme M. Hovannissian :
“Il est ne et grandi aux Etats-Unis, il a une mentalite occidentale,
il a promis de combattre la corruption”.

Les problèmes economiques de l’Armenie, confrontee a un important
chômage et a la corruption, ont ete au centre des debats electoraux.

Selon la Banque mondiale, 36% des Armeniens vivent en-dessous du
seuil de pauvrete. Ces deux dernières decennies, environ un million
d’Armeniens ont quitte leur pays pour fuir le chômage et chercher de
meilleures perspectives d’avenir a l’etranger.

D’autant plus que le pays souffre de la fermeture de ses frontières
avec l’Azerbaïdjan et la Turquie.

Bakou et Erevan se disputent le contrôle du Nagorny-Karabakh, une
region secessionniste azerbaïdjanaise contrôlee de facto par les
Armeniens après une guerre qui a fait 30.000 morts entre 1988 et 1994.

Par ailleurs, la Turquie et l’Armenie sont divisees sur la question
du genocide armenien sous l’empire ottoman (1915-1917), les autorites
turques recusant le terme de genocide.

Mariam HAROUTIOUNIAN

mardi 19 fevrier 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Armenia’s President Sarkisian Tipped To Win

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT SARKISIAN TIPPED TO WIN

Deutsche Welle, Germany
Feb 18 2013

Exit polls from Armenia’s election suggest that incumbent President
Serge Sarkisian has won another five-year term. He has promised
stability for the troubled region where pipelines carry Caspian oil
and gas to Europe.

An exit poll by Gallup and the Baltic Survey showed Armenia’s
pro-Russia President Serge Sarkisian being re-elected with 58 percent
of the votes cast. The closest of six rivals was post-Soviet Armenia’s
first foreign minister, Raffi Hovannisian, who had 32 percent.

The initial figures suggest that Sarkisian has avoided the need for a
runoff, which is required if no candidate reaches the 50 percent mark.

Several prominent opposition rivals had chosen not to stand, including
former arm-wrestling champion Gagik Tsarukian who leads the Prosperous
Armenia party.

Two other candidates, Paruir Airikian, who was injured in an apparent
assassination attempt in January and former premier Hrant Bagratian
each won about 3 percent, according to the Gallup exit survey of
19,000 voters.

Armenia’s electoral commission said voter turnout had been 60 percent
and polling had past off peacefully. The vote which brought Sarkisian
to power in 2008 ended in clashes in which 10 people died.

Hovannisian claimed on Monday that there had been irregularities in
voters’ lists and procedures. A fringe candidate, political analyst
Andrias Gukasian, had alleged widespread vote-buying by Sarkisian’s
party.

Stability promised

Campaigning ahead of Monday’s vote, Sarkisian, 59, had promised
economic recovery and stability in his landlocked South Caucasus nation
after years of upheaval and border closures with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Sarkisian is a veteran of Armenia’s 1990s war with neighboring
Azerbaijan over the disputed Armenian-run region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Poverty high

Most election candidates had promised to reduce poverty and
unemployment, trends which had prompted nearly one million Armenians
to leave over the past two decades.

More than a third of its 3.2 million population lives below the
poverty line, according to the World Bank. Unemployment ran at 16
percent last year.

Armenia also remains estranged from its neighbor Turkey over a
long-running dispute about the massacres of Armenian civilians during
and after World War I.

ipj/slk (Reuters, dpa, AFP)

From: A. Papazian

http://www.dw.de/armenias-president-sarkisian-tipped-to-win/a-16609130

Armenian President Wins Re-Election, Exit Poll Shows (Yerevan)

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WINS RE-ELECTION, EXIT POLL SHOWS (YEREVAN)

NorthJersey.com
Feb 18 2013

Monday February 18, 2013, 1:46 PM
SARA KHOJOYAN
Associated Press, Bloomberg News.

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan won a second
term in an election that’s been dominated by one candidate’s attempted
assassination and another’s hunger strike.

Sargsyan won with 58 percent of the vote to 32 percent for Raffi
Hohanisyan, his closest competitor, Rasa Alisauskiene, director of
General Baltic Surveys at the Gallup Organization said on ArmNews
TV, citing an exit poll. Gallup surveyed 19,130 people with a 1
percentage-point margin of error, she said.

Sargsyan’s victory tightens his grip after his Republican Party won
a parliamentary ballot last year in the country that borders Iran and
Turkey and fought a war with neighbor Azerbaijan over a disputed region
two decades ago. While the president failed to alleviate poverty that
afflicts a third of Armenia’s three million people, the $10 billion
economy is forecast to grow more than 4 percent in 2013.

“Experience shows that Armenians prefer leaving the country instead
of voicing their protest,” said Tatul Hakobyan, a political analyst
at Civilitas Foundation in Yerevan. “People have grown indifferent
about elections after seeing over the past 20 years elections that
were neither free nor fair.”

GDP will jump 6.2 percent this year after rising 7.2 percent in 2011,
the government predicts. That’s more optimistic than the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, which
estimate growth of 5 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

Armenia, whose exports include zinc, copper and semi- precious
stones, relies on its far-flung diaspora to support the economy, with
remittances accounting for about 20 percent of its economic output,
according to Commerzbank.

Armenia’s dram has lost 4.4 percent against the dollar over the past
year compared with a 0.2 percent drop for the lari in neighboring
Georgia and an advance of 0.2 percent for the Azeri manat, data
compiled by Bloomberg show.

Paruyr Hayrikyan, a former dissident who was shot and wounded in a
Jan. 31 incident, had 3 percent backing, as did former Prime Minister
Hrant Bagratyan, according to Gallup. Andrias Ghukasyan, who hasn’t
eaten in about a month and called the ballot “fake,” got 1 percent,
along with the remaining two candidates, it said.

Local election observers and non-government organizations registered
more than 400 violations as of 5 p.m. Monday in Yerevan. The
infringements included ballot stuffing and attempts to vote more than
once, they said.

Sargsyan grew up in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region that broke
free of Azerbaijan’s control after the 1991 Soviet collapse and is a
frequent source of tension between the two nations. His 2008 election
win triggered bloody scenes as 10 people died amid clashes between
opposition protesters and police.

Ghukasyan, a lawyer and radio station head, has refused to call off
his hunger strike unless he’s visited by Health Minister Derenik
Dumanyan. In a show of solidarity, nine people began a sit-in protest
behind the National Academy of Science Monday.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.northjersey.com/news/international/191700771_Armenian_President_Wins_Re-Election__Exit_Poll_Shows__Yerevan_.html?page=all

Raffi Hovhannisian Is Sure That He Has Won The Presidential Election

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN IS SURE THAT HE HAS WON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

ARMINFO
Tuesday, February 19, 00:05

For the first time in the past 20 years the Armenian people have
won a victory over fear and cowardice, presidential candidate Raffi
Hovhannisian told journalists on Tuesday.

He said that he respects all of his rivals and first of all President
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. He is sure that Sargsyan’s name will be
mentioned in future textbooks as the name of a man who made a really
great contribution to the building of the Armenian state and the
victory in the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Now, according to Hovhannisian, Sargsyan is facing a historic chance
to acknowledge the victory of the de jure elected president.

Hovhannisian is not inclined to ignore the results of the exit poll
but, in his opinion, the people have already proved that this is
their state, their fatherland.

Hovhannisian is sure that he has won the election and is not going
to run for the second term.

Meanwhile, the last report of the Central Electoral Commission says
that Sargsyan has secured 66.5% of the votes, Hovhannisian 27.2%.

From: A. Papazian

Eu Council Looks Forward To The Entry Into Force Of The Visa Facilit

EU COUNCIL LOOKS FORWARD TO THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE VISA FACILITATION AGREEMENT WITH ARMENIA

18:01 18.02.2013
Armenia, EU

The Council of the European Union has published its conclusions on
the Eastern Partnership after the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in
Brussels on February 18.

The Council reaffirms the importance it attaches to the Eastern
Partnership, as a specific dimension of the European Neighbourhood
Policy, and its objective of accelerating the political association
and deepening the economic integration of the Eastern European partner
countries with the EU, based on the Eastern Partnership Joint Summit
Declarations of May 2009 and September 2011.

The Council acknowledges the European aspirations and the European
choice of some partners and their commitment to build deep and
sustainable democracy. It highlights the particular role of the Eastern
Partnership to support those who seek an ever closer relationship
with the EU.

Looking forward to the Vilnius Summit, it emphasizes that the pace of
reforms will determine the intensity of cooperation and partners most
engaged in reforms will benefit most from their relationship with the
EU. In this context, the Council looks forward to the elections in
2013 in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia and underlines the importance
of them being held in line with international standards and previous
relevant recommendations by OSCE/ODIHR.

The Council recalls that the European Council has called for
progress as regards the Association Agreements including DCFTAs with
the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Armenia with a view to their
finalisation by the time of the Summit. It appreciates the launching
of work with these partners on Association Agendas to replace the
ENP Action Plans with the view to preparing for and facilitating the
implementation of the Association Agreements.

The Council reminds that negotiations on both the Visa Facilitation and
Readmission Agreements with Armenia have been swiftly concluded and
the Visa Facilitation Agreement with Armenia was signed in December
2012. The Council now looks forward to their entry into force by the
time of the Vilnius Summit.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/02/18/eu-council-looks-forward-to-the-entry-into-force-of-the-visa-facilitation-agreement-with-armenia/

Mensoian: Do Political Parties Have A Duty To Participate?

MENSOIAN: DO POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE A DUTY TO PARTICIPATE?
by Michael Mensoian

February 19, 2013

The Feb. 18, 2013 Armenian presidential elections had only a handful
of political parties willing or able to oppose the reelection of
President Serge Sarkisian of the Republican Party. Some political
parties had decided to sit out the election rather than have their
campaign fall victim to the usual political misconduct and voting
irregularities that are endemic to elections in Armenia. Their
rationale is that participation adds legitimacy to a seriously flawed
election process. Although these irregularities can be persuasive
reasons to boycott an election, it is a decision that abdicates a
party’s responsibility to the voters and directly contributes to the
electorate remaining cynical and resigned to accepting conditions
detrimental to their well-being.

A campaign office for President Sarkisian in Yerevan. (Photo: The
Armenian Weekly) Political parties must weigh the effect that sitting
out an election can have against the benefits that could accrue if
they were to mount effective campaigns. When confronted by these
vexing questions, party leaders should remember the many times in
the glorious history of our people that soldiers and fedayees engaged
in battle because it was considered their honorable duty to protect
their nation-against all odds. In the same way, political parties have
a duty to participate in any election that devolves from the set of
principles, ideals, and vision for the future to protect the interests
of the people and the state. Armenia has had only three presidents
since declaring its independence in 1991. And during these three
administrations the economy has steadily deteriorated. If political
parties are assumed to have an altruistic purpose, why should any
problems exist? One overriding reason is that once a political party is
ensconced in power, its policies and programs are prey to corruption
by extraneous influences and pressure groups that have little or
no interest in the wellbeing of the people or the viability of the
state. This is not an uncommon situation when a ruling party has no
serious opposition with which to contend. Since 1991 unemployment and
underemployment have steadily risen, ameliorated only somewhat because
families and individuals have been forced to emigrate in search of
employment or an improved quality of life. Countless Armenian families
have been disrupted when the husband or father has had to seek work in
a foreign country to support his family. The below replacement-level
fertility rate, combined with emigration, have reduced the country’s
population by at least 1 million, contributing to a rapid aging of
the population. Too many of these elderly Armenians are being forced
to live their retirement years in poverty. The equality that women
are guaranteed by the constitution has limited application in practice.

Zarouhi Petrosyan’s death in 2009 awakened the Armenian conscience
to the prevalence of domestic violence in the country. Zarouhi was a
mother of a two-year-old girl and was routinely subjected to vicious
attacks by her husband. Yet, martial violence and abuse continues
unabated, with no legislation enacted to protect wives and mothers
from shameless husbands who are no better than predators.

Environmental degradation not only continues, but is intensifying.

Habitats for endangered species of animals and plants are being
destroyed by cutting old growth forests; extracting low grade copper
ore, which is profitable only because it is unregulated; degrading the
surface and ground water supplies; and decreasing air quality because
relevant regulations either do not exist or are not enforced. The
expansion and beautification of Yerevan continues unabated because
it financially benefits the contactors, property owners, building
material suppliers, and investors who represent a small politically
connected group. While the capital city expands, the dichotomy with
its hinterland increases to the detriment of the rural families and
their quality of life. Young women in orphanages, upon reaching the
age of 18, must leave this sheltered environment without having had
any effective program, either before or after leaving, that would
provide them with the necessary economic and social skills to become
effective members of society. Need I go on? And while the country is
engulfed by all of these shortcomings, the oligarchs are still able to
enrich themselves. How can political parties, under such conditions,
consider sitting out an election an appropriate response? These
deplorable conditions are not what our people should have to endure.

Sitting out an election, however it may be rationalized, not only
deprives the electorate of a voice in opposition to the failed
policies of the incumbent, but leaves no alternative for the voter
to consider. How can the leadership of these parties expect any
legitimate, post-election opposition to be taken seriously by the
voters when the victorious candidate has been given a free pass during
the election? The lack of serious opposition-or oversight, if you
will-by political parties has allowed “mer mayreni yergire” to become
a fiefdom for a small group of favored individuals and families. If any
of these parties want to break out of their marginal status, they must
make a sincere effort to support the various (often ignored) segments
of the electorate, such as the elderly, the unemployed, the rural
families, the non-farm workers, and the legitimate interest groups
that have been forming in Armenia in support of the environmental
regulations, women’s rights, legislation to protect women from marital
violence, etc. And at the same time, these same parties must actively
oppose those special interests with their agendas that continue to
bleed Armenia for personal gain. An effective political party should
be at the forefront, confronting the programs and policies of an
administration that does not effectively address the wellbeing of
its citizens or the security of the state. Political parties must be
perceived by the electorate as being committed to a better, stronger,
and secure Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/02/19/mensoian-do-political-parties-have-a-duty-to-participate/

Raffi Hovhannisian’s Supporters Demand That He Organize A Round- The

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN’S SUPPORTERS DEMAND THAT HE ORGANIZE A ROUND- THE-CLOCK PICKET

ARMINFO
Tuesday, February 19, 17:58

The people who gathered in Yerevan’s Liberty Square earlier in the
day to support the leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisian are
now moving to Matenadaran and are chanting “Serzh, Go Away, Raffi
is President!”

They demand that Hovhannisian organize a round-the-clock picket. The
latter has not yet responded to this demand.

According to the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia, during the
Feb 18 presidential election Hovhannisian secured 36.75% of the votes,
with 58.64% given to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia’s Three Presidents Equally Responsible For March 1trangedy –

ARMENIA’S THREE PRESIDENTS EQUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MARCH 1TRANGEDY – HERITAGE PARTY LEADER

TERT.AM
19.02.13

Talking to journalists on Wednesday, Chairman of the Heritage party
Raffi Hovannisian stated his intention to consistently struggle for
a final solution of ten murders during the tragic events in Armenia’s
capital on March 1, 2008.

According to him, all the three presidents of Armenia are responsible
for that.

“All the three presidents must be summoned to the prosecutor’s office,”
he said. All of them are equally responsible to the victims’ mothers
and to the public.

According to him, only new authorities in Armenia are able to exact
retribution from those responsible.

From: A. Papazian

Khurshudyan: Raffi Received 68% In 42 Polling Stations

KHURSHUDYAN: RAFFI RECEIVED 68% IN 42 POLLING STATIONS

Story from Lragir.am News:

19/02/2013

Hovsep Khurshudyan, head of Raffi Hovannisian’s campaign headquarters,
has stated tonight that their information from 42 polling stations
strangely differs from those of 21-22 polling stations provided by
the CEC.

According to the Heritage, 19,057 of 27,902 or 68% of voters of these
polling stations have voted for Raffi Hovannisian. These polling
stations are 4/11, 4/26, 13/33, 9/20, 5/23, 10/22, 35/10, 40/43,
34/15, 35/36, 35/34, 34/19, 34/09, 41/23, 4/17, 35/33, 35/35, 34/08,
35/19, 34/10, 34/21, 34/16, 35/22, 34/04, 35/38, 35/40, 35/23, 33/63,
33/74, 34/39, 34/06.

Khurshudyan said all the chairs of polling stations where Raffi
won have been told to delay protocols. Efforts are made to void
ballots marked for Raffi. 600 votes have been stolen from polling
station 6/16. The ballot box at the polling station 3/25 has not been
opened yet. In Jrashen village 60 ballots for Raffi were voided. In
Malatia-Sebastia community of Yerevan MP Samvel Alexanyan’s people
threatened the representatives of Heritage and their families if they
draft protocols. Observers complained and called the police.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/country/view/28973