PRESS RELEASE
The National Citizens’ Initiative
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 27.16.00, 27.00.03
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected]
Website:
March 16, 2006
NCI: Armenia’s First Ombudswoman Presented Her Special Report
Yerevan–The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today convened a
roundtable on “What Armenia’s Citizens Gained and Lost in 2005.” The
meeting brought together political and social activists, human rights
advocates, analysts, experts, and media representatives.
NCI coordinator Hovsep Khurshudian welcomed the audience with opening
remarks, “The authorities had declared the constitutional referendum
of 2005 as a crucial step toward the establishment of democracy
and legitimacy in Armenia. However, after the immediate ‘passing’
of the constitutional amendments, human and civil rights not only
deteriorated, but repression including unlawful arrests against
politically active citizens continued, followed by similar violations,
this time against political parties. A vivid illustration of this is
the illegal closure of the Heritage Party’s headquarters. Moreover,
the first Ombudswoman of the Republic of Armenia Larisa Alaverdian
was dismissed for performing her designated duty.”
Prior to discussing her special report, Larisa Alaverdian expressed
dismay that the public had lost the ability to read and comprehend
written texts of political or legal nature. Subsequently, she briefly
presented her 20-page special account on the situation of human
rights in Armenia in the year past. Unfortunately, she was not
allowed to present this report to the National Assembly. “I would
like to call this report also ‘An Infringement Upon the Right of
Effective Legal Protection,’ an entitlement set forth by Article 13
of the European Convention,” Alaverdian noted. With respect to the
large-scale encroachment upon the property rights of the residents
of the Northern Avenue and Biuzand Street in downtown Yerevan,
Mrs. Alaverdian observed that in democratic countries, for the sake
of state interests, private assets of people at times are alienated,
but with proper compensation. Yet in this case, compensation was not
only unforthcoming, but people through the courts were forced to sign
purchase agreements and on top be subjected to state and income taxes.
Larisa Alaverdian had made an appeal to President Robert Kocharian
and Prime Minister Andranik Margarian concerning this matter. She
had even addressed a formal letter to the President with respect
to the widespread violation of human rights. Yet, she received a
response in which she was charged for breaching Section 5 of Armenia’s
Constitution, that is for misusing her official power.
The next speaker, Heritage Party’s political secretary Vardan
Khachatrian, gave his assessments of the constitutional referendum of
2005. According to him, “As a result of the ruling clique’s methods of
‘passing’ the constitution and ‘establishing’ democracy, the notions
of ‘state,’ ‘constitution,’ and ‘democracy’ have been discredited in
the eyes of the majority of the people who draw a perfect parallel
between the current authorities and the unlawfulness which is reigning
in the country.”
Khachatrian pointed that the way out of this situation is carrying
out a fundamental transformation, but not ruling out the prospect
for a peaceful revolution.
The remainder of the session was devoted to exchanges of views and
policy recommendations among the public figures and policy specialists
in attendance. Also noteworthy were interventions by Rafael Ghazarian
and Vahan Shirkhanian from the Forum of Intellectuals of Armenia;
MPs Tatul Manaserian, Manuk Gasparian, Hrant Khachatrian, and Arshak
Sadoyan; deputy chairman of the National Unity Party Gagik Tadevosian;
chairman of the Democratic Motherland Party Petros Makeyan; “18+1”
election observers’ mission chief Vahagn Khachatrian; Republic Party
member Rafik Mkrtchian; deputy chairman of the National Rebirth
Party Armen Mkrtchian; deputy chairman of the Liberal Progressive
Party Edward Antinian; director of the Heritage Party’s main office
Gevorg Kalenchian; chairman of the Social-Ecological Party Armen
Dovlatian; deputy chairman of the “Victims of State Needs” NGO Sedrak
Baghdasarian; and many others.
In the ensuing discussion Academician Rafael Ghazarian blamed the
opposition leaders for pursuing their personal ambitions instead of
bringing the nation out of this situation in unity.
In Dr. Tatul Manaserian’s opinion the reasons for the current situation
should be searched within ourselves since the public has become very
apathetic as to the future of the country.
Manuk Gasparian called upon the participants to work together in
getting at least one or two independent television channels to
reopen so that people can come out of the informational blockade
and be informed of the illegalities of the ruling powers and what is
happening in the country.
Avetik Ishkhanian of the Helsinki Committee was in concurrence with Mr.
Gasparian and added that the public’s apathy was due to the suppression
of freedom of speech and that our citizens’ first real defeat came
when A1+ and Noyan Tapan were closed down.
Gagik Tadevosian’s question as to the validity of the conclusion that
the falsification of the constitutional amendments had resulted in more
illegalities by the government was answered in the affirmative by Mrs.
Alaverdian. She agreed that the ruling administration’s declaration
according to which 93 percent had said “Yes” to the new constitution
was a disgrace and that the very same powers were very much aware of
this fact.
In his turn, Avetik Ishkhanian stated that in line with confidential
information ascertained from fairly high state echelons, with the
exception of military servicemen, only 7 percent of eligible voters
had actually cast ballots in the constitutional referendum. Vardan
Khachatrian added that he had received information about a mere 6.5
percent voter turnout.
In his closing remarks, NCI coordinator Hovsep Khurshudian noted
the fact that Armenia’s public elite calls attention to ideological
discussions and the search for the roots of and solutions to the
problems facing the country. And in the words of Khurshudian, this
roundtable is its proof.
The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public non-profit association
founded in December 2001 by Raffi K. Hovannisian, his colleagues,
and fellow citizens with the purpose of realizing the rule of law
and overall improvements in the state of the state, society, and
public institutions.
The National Citizens’ Initiative is guided by a Coordinating
Council, which includes individual citizens and representatives of
various public, scientific, and educational establishments. Five
commissions on Law and State Administration, Socioeconomic Issues,
Foreign Policy, Spiritual and Cultural Challenges, and the Youth
constitute the vehicles for the Initiative’s work and outreach.
For further information, please call (37410) 27-16-00 or 27-00-03;
fax (37410) 52-48-46; email [email protected]; or visit

Of Man and Nature, Layers and Fragments: The Art of Vasken Brudian
By Ara Oshagan
Critics’ Forum – Visual Arts
3/18/2006
Vasken Brudian is an architect and artist. He has held one solo
exhibition, but his work has been part of many group shows across the
country over the past few years. After a long hiatus, Brudian has
returned to the art scene with brand new work and the publication
of a monograph entitled, “Paintings and Collages: Towards a New
Aesthetics.” In conjunction with this publication, Brudian’s work
will be on display in a solo show at the Harvest Gallery in Glendale,
from March 24 to April 2.
Brudian’s work merges a wide array of concepts and ideas and employs a
plethora of media: from architectural drawings, paint, acrylic and ink,
to photography, alphanumeric texts, philosophical writings, poetry,
literature, and essays by well-known writers. And in complement,
the sizes of his works also vary from the very intimate to ones over
20 feet in length. His work is expansive and inter- disciplinary and
does not lend itself to easy categorization. It attempts to strike
a difficult and delicate balance of form, color and concept.
Brudian is best known for his “architectural paintings”-though these
two words are not nearly sufficient to describe what this work is.
These “paintings” are the product of a process that combines free-
hand painting (the paint and brush) with modern technology-based
methods (the computer and plotter). Paint and pencil is used to
begin a painting on a surface, typically mylar. Then, after it is
dry, architectural forms (everything from lines to beams to numbers
to sections of buildings and stairways) are drawn over it with a
large-scale plotter. Then more paint is added, then more plotting.
This process is repeated several times, layer upon layer, until a
dense and multi-storied canvas emerges. Obliteration is used as a tool
of construction here. Each layer fully or partially obliterates the
one before it. It obliterates and also fuses into it and builds on
top of it-constructing a painting in the same way one constructs
a building, perhaps. Technology is inherent to the creation of
these works-they cannot be conceived nor made without the use of
computer technology. The end result of this process is that paint
and architectural fragments are held in tension, the fierce linearity
of bits and bytes tussle with the free-flow of the hand, instinct is
interwoven with technology. Are the two fusing or clashing? This is
a question that is raised by Brudian over and over again.
In his monograph, Brudian includes some of this earlier work but
also adds a host of new work, some of it continuing in the vein of
architectural painting and some of it departing from it completely.
The new work takes its inspiration from various literary works,
poems and essays. These fragmentary textual references are a strong
presence, and they also serve as platform upon which Brudian develops
his explorations of various themes. This series also introduces
photographic images, mainly landscapes. And although at times they
are altered, their essential photographic quality is retained. In
the new work, these large natural landscapes are fragmented and
altered and then juxtaposed with fragmentary texts or abstractions
or architectural paintings. Nature, as a concept, makes itself known.
Where the landscape photograph is brought together with poetic
fragments, the result is overtly and simply emotional. “The Caged
Bird”-which combines a scenic landscape photograph cast to red with
Maya Angelou’s verse about a bird singing of freedom-is idyllic in
its presentation of nature and the bird’s romantic musings about
freedom. “Two Butterflies,” which presents a very similar idyllic
and idealized scene of nature, adds poetics from Emily Dickinson
about waltzing butterflies. It is nearly impossible to not imagine
butterflies waltzing in those trees or to not see the flight of a
bird. These works are like reveries, simple invitations to stop and
contemplate nature, to bathe in the serenity and emotional flow of
verse and landscape.
It’s quite a leap from these pieces to the much more challenging and
compelling ones that bring together nature and man via architecture
and technology. This work is a direct continuation of Brudian’s
architectural paintings but extends their reach significantly. While
the earlier work was based on a process of layering and melding of
diverse forms, Brudian’s new work begins with a clash, a conflict,
but goes further-that is, it turns in on itself. In his best work,
Brudian tiptoes along the razor-sharp edge between man and nature,
conflict and harmony, instinct and technology.
These larger canvases are composed of two totally distinct and
disparate parts-a color-washed photographic scene of nature on one
side and a Brudian-style architectural painting on the other. The
works are juxtaposed and placed next to each other and forced to
inhabit the same frame. The two sides of the frame are pitted against
each other, and while in one moment they are clashing and tussling,
in the next they suddenly seem to flow together in a strange harmony.
The best example of this is “/Twisting the Separatix/,” where
underneath a serene row of upright trees (cast to blue) mad
architectural forms crisscross. At first, it seems the ground ends
and underneath the soil, architecture and art begin, i.e. man-the
dividing line, the front is demarcated, the trenches are dug. But then,
those architectural lines and forms begin to echo strange roots-cold,
hard roots-that seem to feed the trees themselves, and suddenly the
two parts of the canvas flow into each other, give and take from each
other. Nature and man are at war, yes, but also at peace and perhaps
even nurturing one another.
The work, at its best, is a constantly shifting perspective, asking
and answering and suddenly losing hold of the answer and questioning
again. The effect is thought-provoking and inquisitive: are the two
sides clashing or complementing each other? What is the relationship
between the natural and the man-made? These are the critical questions
Brudian poses in his work.
Brudian’s monograph is a bold attempt at embracing a plethora of
diverse and difficult concepts using nearly as many diverse media.
In his best pieces, he manages to strike a delicate balance between a
host of extremes-ideas, forms and colors, all pulling in different
directions. Brudian’s reentry into the art world is refreshing and
welcome.
All Rights Reserved: Critics Forum, 2006
Ara Oshagan has degrees in Physics and English Literature from UCLA
and a degree in Geophysics from UC Berkeley. He used to be a scientist
and now is a photographer. But everything still comes from Literature.
You can reach him or any of the other contributors to Critics’
Forum at [email protected]. This and all other articles
published in this series are available online at
To sign up for a weekly electronic version of new articles, go to
Critics’ Forum is a group created to
discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the Diaspora.

Isn’t the AWACS a very expensive toy?
TDN
Saturday, March 18, 2006
The United States has always wanted to sell AWACS aircraft to Turkey.
Boeing has been trying to persuade the Office of the Chief of General
Staff of the need to purchase these planes.
Mehmet Ali Birand
The United States has always wanted to sell AWACS to Turkey. Boeing
has been trying to persuade the Office of the Chief of General Staff
of the need to purchase these planes.
It used to be said that AWACS aircraft, with an early warning
system, are a necessity for every household and that Turkey
definitely needed to have some. When Adm. Guven Erkaya was working
at the General Staff, he used to say that Turkey’s air defense system
is full of holes and that efforts to establish a proper radar network
had failed. He used to recommend a comprehensive air defense system
instead of purchasing AWACS, arguing that AWACS planes were too
exorbitant for Turkey.
I now see that Boeing has at last gotten it wanted.
It appears the Office of the Chief of General Staff couldn’t resist
any longer.
Turkey will spend $1.2 billion for four planes. This project has an
indirect advantage of providing some work for Tusas Aerospace
Industries (TAI), which has been dormant since the end of the F-16
project, and technology transfer worth $740 million in 10 years.
However, I have yet to be convinced.
Neither the Office of the Chief of General Staff nor the Defense
Ministry is in the habit of discussing such matters with the public;
however, if they just tried to argue their case, we would all be
relieved.
I am uncomfortable.
I know the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is in desperate need of
modernization. I know our military needs to bolster its fire power,
defense systems, transportation equipment and needs to modernize its
tanks. Were AWACS a priority? Should we have spent $1.2 billion for
these four planes as if we have a lot of money to spare?
I know no one will try to inform us on what’s going on, but still I
wanted to write about it.
We would like to thank Serdengecti:
Mehmet Yılmaz wrote about it earlier.
He noted how former Turkish Central Bank Governor Sureyya
Serdengecti was retired without a thank-you from anyone, including
the state.
It was a very correct assessment.
Wasn’t this really the case? There are some bureaucrats whose
actions are guided by their desire to placate the government. There
are some who just want to create trouble, just to secure a transfer
to the private sector.
Serdengecti, as I am sure future economic historians will note,
was an individual who influenced all our lives.
Under his leadership, inflation dropped from 70 percent to the
current single digits. He was interested in the country’s economy,
not in what the politicians said. He didn’t deviate from the flexible
exchange policy. He did not back away, despite being branded a
traitor by the exporters.
He did not over-embellish matters. He was calm and polite. He never
tried to promote himself for what he had accomplished.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Serdengecti.
He left a better Turkey for us, our children and our grandchildren.
Last day for credit card amnesty May 1:
I noted the tragedy caused by excessive credit card debt both in my
column and on Kanal D news. From the phone calls, e-mails and faxes I
receive, I have come to the conclusion that this problem has reached
unprecedented levels.
The law on the credit card debt amnesty came into effect on March
1. Those who are asked to pay all their debts incurred until March 1
or those who now face court action for debts incurred before Jan. 31,
2006 will be able to utilize this law.
But how?
Those who want to take advantage of the law need to lodge an
application within 60 days. The applications can be sent through
Postal, Telegraph and Telecommunications General Directorate (PTT)
offices or through a notary. Those who utilize this law to
restructure their debt will need to pay the first installments
upfront. If they fail to pay any installments on time, they will lose
all privileges. Any objections to the payment plan can be lodged, but
people still need to continue to pay the installments while their
cases are being assessed. The law appears to provide breathing space
for debtors, but the important thing is to make the payments on time.
Uncle Garo:
“Garo is a youth from Sarıyer (Istanbul). He was blown [away] by
the beauty of the sea at a young age and always wanted to be a
fisherman…”
Selcuk Erez’s book “Garo Dayı” (Uncle Garo) is now out from
Dogan Publishing. It is a book that is a pleasure to read. Garo
Dayı’s life on the sea is the basis of the book. You will enjoy
reading about a half-Turk and half-Armenian family coming together
after years of estrangement.
–Boundary_(ID_51a1yhKeTr9HpIFFuyCV Rw)–

WE HAVE AND WILL HAVE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA: IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, MARCH 18. ARMINFO. Each state has its own foreign policy and
decides on its own who to have relations with, Iranian Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Afshar Suleymani said when asked why Iran does not sever
its relations with Armenia like Turkey did.
It is our internal affair. Like Azerbaijan Iran decides itself who
to have relations with. We have and will have relations with Armenia
as they are our neighbors, says Suleymani.
At the same time he notes that Iran’s relations with Azerbaijan are
on higher level – 3-4 times bigger commodity turnover than with
Armenia. Last year Iran built camps for refugees in Azerbaijan,
with no such projects in Armenia.
As to Turkey, that country has $120 mln unofficial commodity
turnover, air flights and various contacts with Armenia. They just
lack diplomatic relations because Armenia has territorial claims
against Turkey and there is also the problem of the Armenian genocide,
sys Suleymani.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN CHILDREN ASK NOT TO SHOOT BIRDS
YEREVAN, MARCH 17. ARMINFO. Armenian children are worried for wild
birds who are being shot because of bird flu.
They have expressed their concern in today’s photo exhibition in
Yerevan, organized by the Center of Bird Lovers and supported by WWF
Yerevan Office.
The children are indignant that birds are being shot without any
control and have decided to express their feelings in their works,
says the president of the center Silva Adamyan.
Everybody present agreed that mass shooting is not a way to solve
the bird flu problem. “How can we order the birds not to fly?” the
children ask in their photos.

ARMENIA LOOKS FORWARDS TO TREASURES OF LOUVRE
YEREVAN, MARCH 17.ARMINFO. The French Embassy to Armenia submitted
a package of suggestions on arrangements within the framework of
Armenia’s Day in France to RA Culture Ministry. The Press Service of
RA Culture and Youth Affairs Ninistry informed ARMINFO about this.
Gevorg Gevorgian, RA Culture Minister, and Ani Monriet, councellor
of French Ambassdor to Armenia, discussed these issues during today’s
meeting at the ministry.
The French side suggested to organize cultural events in Armenia,
too.Thus, the exposition of French artists will open at AR State
Picture Gallery. It is also envisaged that two photo exhibitions
“France at Night” and “A Photographer’s View of France” will open at
the gallery.

Armenia confirms soldier taken captive in Azerbaijan
Arminfo, Yerevan
18 Mar 06
The spokesman for the Armenian Defence Ministry, Col Seyran
Shakhsuvaryan, has confirmed that an Armenian soldier had been taken
captive in Azerbaijan, Arminfo news agency said on 18 March.
The agency quoted an Azerbaijani official as telling the International
Committee of the Red Cross and the international working group for
POWs, hostages and missing persons that the soldier, who had gone
missing on 3 March, was taken captive by Azerbaijan.

US diplomat notes Armenia’s interest in having “up-to-date” nuclear plant
Interfax-AVN military news agency website, Moscow
16 Mar 06
Yerevan, 16 March: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev have expressed their willingness to continue
contributing to efforts to reach a peace agreement on Nagornyy Karabakh
during their recent negotiations in France, US Assistant Secretary of
State Daniel Fried said at a news conference in Yerevan on Thursday
[16 March].
Fried disagreed that the talks between Kocharyan and Aliyev in
Rambouillet on 10-11 February drove the negotiating process into a
dead end.
Attempts are currently being made to see in which direction the
settlement process could now move, he said.
During his visit to the region, Fried said he addressed ways of
settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, energy security and prospects
for the region’s development.
The US believes it would be useful to look into the future in light
of the current problems in the South Caucasus to see how the region
is to develop on the whole and how democracy and economic reforms
will proceed there.
The US does not rule out that nuclear energy could be used to diversify
energy supplies in the region, he said.
The diplomat said he is aware of Armenia’s interest in building a new
safe and up-to-date nuclear power plant and that he would inform his
leadership in Washington of this.

Turkish minister to visit USA due to concerns over Iraq – daily
Yeni Safak website, Istanbul
17 Mar 06
Text of report by Duygu Guvenc: “Concerns about Iraq prompt Gul,
who was reluctant to visit the USA, to change his mind” published by
Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak website on 17 March
In addition to some other factors, a series of ups and downs observed
in Turkish-American relations have played a crucial role in the visit
to be paid by five members of the cabinet to the United States towards
the end of this month. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who had earlier
decided not to go to the United States, changed his mind because of
the recent developments in Iraq.
The five ministers will fly to the United States to attend the 25th
joint annual conference to be organized by the American-Turkish Council
(ATC), Turkish-American Business Council, and the American Friends of
Turkey between 26 and 29 March. In addition to Gul, State Minister
Kursat Tuzmen, Energy Minister Hilmi Guler, Agriculture Minister
Mehdi Eker, and Tourism Minister Atilla Koc will attend conference
sponsored by the ATC.
The decision about Gul’s visit to the United States was made following
lengthy assessments made by the Foreign Ministry. Gul also weighed up
the pros and cons of not going to the United States and his advisers
eventually asked the US side to arrange a meeting with US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice, which is expected to take place on 27 March.
The possibility of cancelling Gul’s visit to the United States was
earlier discussed in diplomatic circles. Foreign Ministry officials
analysed the rising influence of the neo-cons over the US State
Department and their argument that Turkey must pledge unconditional
support. Those evaluations made by the high-ranking officials of the
Ministry led to the conclusion that the United States was taking a
harder line towards Iran and that it would pursue a policy aimed at
escalating the crisis.
Taking account of Turkey’s reluctance to give unqualified support
for the US policy vis-a-vis Iran, reactions provoked by a visit paid
by a Hamas leader, and angry reactions expressed by some members of
the Jewish Diaspora in the United States, Foreign Ministry officials
assessed the merits of a decision to advise Gul not to go to the United
States. The postponement of Rice’s visit to Turkey, which was scheduled
to take place in January, was also taken into consideration. They,
however, later concluded that holding talks with the US side would
be necessary in a period marked by mounting concerns that a civil
war could start in Iraq and lead to its dismemberment.
Planned meetings
Turkey’s concerns about Iraq and especially Kirkuk also influenced
the decision that Gul should visit Washington.
Gul is also expected to tell the US side that they were still trying
to convince Iran to cooperate, emphasizing that Turkey was urging
Tehran to ensure transparency of its nuclear programme while taking
a cooperative approach. US sources, however, said that no proposal
concerning Iran would be made during the meeting between Rice and Gul.
Gul will also have meetings with the members of the Jewish lobby
in Washington. Meanwhile, Ankara will host Barry Jacobs, Turkey
Director of the American Jewish Committee on 20 March. In addition,
a delegation from the US Congress led by Senator John Warner will
visit Ankara next week. The stand to be taken by the Jewish Diaspora,
which was bothered by the Hamas leader’s visit to Turkey, regarding
a draft resolution about the Armenian allegations of genocide, which
will be tabled in the US Congress once again, will be regarded by
Ankara as an important factor.
In addition to his meeting with Rice, Gul will also have a meeting with
US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley in order to emphasize his
concerns about Iraq. Turkey fears that a civil war may be impending
in Iraq and Gul will also reiterate Turkey’s expectations about the
PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party]. Rice is expected to raise the Hamas
leader’s visit to Turkey and Gul will tell her that the objective
of their meetings with the Hamas leader was not different then the
purpose of the United States’ calls.

European Court upholds Latvia’s Right to ban former communists from elections
Diena, Riga
17 Mar 06
[Report by Sanita Jemberga: “Total Victory for Latvia in Human
Rights Court”]
With 13 in favour and four against, the European Court of Human Rights
[ECHR] overruled the previous judgment and decided that Latvia did
not violate the rights of former Interfronte activist and current MEP
[Member of the European Parliament] Tatjana Zdanoka. The state had
the right to ban former communists from competing in elections.
However, the Strasbourg court points out that these restrictions cannot
be maintained indefinitely and should be reviewed because Latvia,
as a European country, is a stronger entity than it was immediately
after it regained its independence.
By assessing the historical and legal context of the ban, the
ECHR has for the first time clearly stated its opinion on Latvia’s
occupation. The ECHR notes that restrictions that would have been
unacceptable in a democratic country with well-established democratic
institutions are tolerable in the case of Latvia, considering the
threat of the return of totalitarianism. The court points out that
Latvia, the Baltic states, and other countries in Eastern Europe lost
their independence as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, “which
contradicted the generally accepted principles of international law.”
The case summary mentions that in 1940, after issuing an ultimatum,
the Soviet Army invaded Latvia. Later, “the annexation of Latvia was
completed, and the country became part of the USSR.” This statement
clashes with the idea supported by Russia, namely, that the Baltic
states joined the union voluntarily and were not occupied.
Consequently, Zdanoka has lost her battle both ideologically and
legally, because the ECHR has not recognized her right to be freely
elected. Unlike in the previous ruling, Latvia will not be obliged
to compensate her. Diena could not contact the MEP because her cell
phone was switched off.
The judges took into account the opinion of the Latvian representative
at the ECHR and the view of Egils Levits, former judge at the
ECHR, which they expressed after the ruling of the Court of First
Instance. The first ruling was favourable to Zdanoka. The ECHR
has acknowledged that the ban in question did not target specific
individuals. The ban concerned people who had remained active members
of the Communist Party after 13 January 1991, and it prohibited them
from competing in elections. The ban was designed to strengthen the
people’s trust in the new regime. Those who had connections with
the party, which was considered a threat to the new democracy, were
excluded from power. Zdanoka did not distance herself from the party,
which could have lessened doubts about her attitude.
Four judges – from Greece, Slovenia, Armenia, and Bosnia had a
different opinion. There were also three judges, including the
president of the ECHR, who had specific views about certain aspects
of the case.
Zdanoka complained to the ECHR about the ban, which prevents her from
competing in local and parliamentary elections. She could participate
in the European Parliament elections – former communists are free
to take part. The first verdict, which was favourable to Zdanoka,
was appealed by the Latvian state. Latvia believed that the court
had not taken into account the complicated historical circumstances.