RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN CALLS FOR POLITICAL CONSOLIDATION

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. “Starting from 1995-96 the Armenian
authorities did their best on order to weaken the civil society formed
in the country and the development of democracy. They carried out a
whole chain of violations equal to coup d’etat, the last link of which
was the 2005 November 27 referendum,” Raffi Hovhannisian, Chairman of
the Zharangutiun (Heritage) party, Vice-Foreign Minister of Armenia,
declared at the April 7 conference of the party. According to him, the
normal development of Armenia was stopped because of the
“anti-national” steps of both first and second regimes. “At present
our country is a half-criminal, authoritarian territory which is
neglected by the strongest of the world”. According to Hovhannisian,
the country’s authorities have been demoralized, estranged from the
nation and have forgotten about their duty and responsibility towards
the people. According to him, the curent regime is engaged in “cutting
a dash” to the Armenian people and the world in order to retain its
power. The Zharangutiun party leader blamed the President for mass
riggings at the constitutional referendum and for violating his
constitutional oath twice. R.Hovhannisian also touched upon the
results of the Armenian-Russian negotiations dedicated to the gas
tariff naming them disgraceful and the legality of the bargain striken
very doubtful: “They resell the national wealth and the state power –
from the mineral wealth and water up to means of communication and
production”. He strictly condemned some media naming them shameful and
saying that they have lost their professional dignity. Characterizing
the situation formed in the country as “extremely hard,”
R.Hovhannisian meanwhile declared: “We have no right to leave the
people or not to protect our future. We need reanimation of the unity
of citizens, formation of a public opinion, in one word, restoration
of the civil society in Armenia. I call for a political
consolidation”.