LIKE UGANDA AND KENYA
Aram Abrahamian

Aravot, Armenia
Nov 22 2006

If Sweden and North Korea are appointed as the poles of freedom and
unfreedom of the world, Armenia will be near the latter. The British
"Economist" magazine thinks in this way, which keeps publishing some
interesting publications about CIS. According to "Azatutiun" b/s,
the experts of "Economist" have put our country in the 110th place
among 167. According to the periodical, the countries of the world
are divided into 3 types; perfectly democratic /13%/, authoritarian
/55 countries/, and mixed regimes/30 states, including ours, as
well as Russia, Georgia and Turkey. In honor us, Azerbaijan is among
authoritarian countries.

Perhaps the reader won’t be surprised that Armenia has the worst
index in the "electoral processes" and "degree of dissent" categories
/4,33 by 10 points schedule/. In these spheres our level is like
Uganda’s and Kenya’s levels. Our situation in "effectivеness
of management" and "existence of political culture" categories is
also depressing. And here again, there is no need to cast doubt on
the rightness of the information. It is enough to look at the RA NA
parliamentarians’ faces, and the level of our political culture will
be obvious for any sincere observer.

The most interesting is the "Economist’s" prediction about the future
of Armenia. "The parliamentary elections in May 2007 may be held by
serious omissions, – the magazine writes, which will lead the country
back to the authoritarian regime of ruling". Here the Englishmen are
careful using the word "may". The above-mentioned omissions can’t be
held without serious omissions, for the reason that the major part of
voters doesn’t intend to make a political election. Only "benevolent
persons" may gain the public sympathy, and it is encouraged by the
official propaganda, according to which, political projects are empty
conversations, and a sack of potatoes is a real thing.

Certainly the authorities may say that "Economist" isn’t objective,
famous and expresses the order of British Oil Corporation. If it is
a consolation, let them find that in it.