Aravot, Armenia
Oct 26 2006
THE ADOPTION OF ANTHEM WILL BE DELAYED
It is obvious that the parliament won’t have time to realize the
demand coming from the constitutional amendments: about adoption of
the law "About anthem" till December 5.
The ARF faction postponed for 30 days discussion of the draft of law
"About national anthem" in the sitting of the NA state legal
commission on September 20. The government hasn’t produced a
legislative initiative about the RA national anthem’s text and music
based on the contest commission’s decision to the NA. The commission
has made a decision to propose the government to announce a new
contest for the text of Aram Khachatrian’s won music.
It isn’t also obvious / besides the ARF/ the position of
parliamentary forces in favor of what version they will vote. Grigor
Margarian, the head of "Businessmen" faction told us: "We haven’t
finally studied, it is still being discussed". Mkrtich Minasian from
"People’s deputy" faction who had voted for restoring the Soviet
Armenia’s anthem in the answer to our question whether it was his
decision or the faction’s said: "It was my personal opinion.
Evaluation of music and song is a personal feeling. And "People’s
deputy" will still discuss this question."
Another member of the commission, ULP head Gurgen Arsenian also voted
for the music of Soviet Armenia’s anthem. "I think that the most
perfect music is that one for which I have voted." And to the
question whether his voting means that the ULP faction will vote for
the melody of the Soviet Armenia, Mr. Arsenian answered that they
would vote freely.
It is known that the positions in "Justice" bloc are different: NDU
leader Vazgen Manukian is for "Mer Hayrenik" /the current anthem/ and
the DPA leader Aram Sargsian is for Aram Khachatrian’s melody.
Supposedly this faction will also vote freely. But head of Justice
Stepan Demirchian informed that they haven’t discussed that question
yet; "I myself like Aram Khachatrian’s music. But I think there is no
historical necessity to change the national anthem. Many things must
be changed in our country before the anthem".
After a conversation with OEP faction secretary Heghine Bisharian we
found out that this party was also oriented: "We think it is better
to save the current anthem. Nowadays the country has more serious
problems to solve. "National Unity" also has the same opinion, and
secretary of the faction Alexan Karapetian said: "I think the
agiotage round the selection of national anthem must be over, and the
forces should solve the problems the population need in".
It seems both versions aren’t preferable for RPA head of council
Serge Sargsian who told the journalists yesterday: "If it was
possible to have an anthem by Charents’ words and Aram Khachatrian’s
music, I’d be the greatest fan of that anthem".
RPA leader, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian answering to "Aravot’s"
question about his opinion about the Soviet Armenia’s anthem said:
"Only the music is admissible for me. When there aren’t suitable
words the old text is associated. In answer to our question how he
refers to "Mer Hayrenik" current anthem, he answered: "As there is no
better version, it must remain".
Anna Israelian