Is only Communist Party opposition?

Anahit Danielyan
11-06-2007 14:30:47 – KarabakhOpen

Interview with the first secretary of the NKR Communist Party Hrant
Melkumyan, a presidential candidate.

Mr. Melkumyan, what track do you propose for the development of the
county ` reforms or the current line?

Any country needs reforms. Development that is more dynamic is needed.
We cannot deny development in Karabakh over the past years. Some people
already feel good, but much more could be done and there is room for
more social justice. I would like the pensions were not less than 60
percent of the average salary and medical services were free like in
the Soviet years. Education like in those years, without turning
everything upside down every year. Everyone has a diploma today but who
needs qualified illiteracy? A diploma has a price but no value.
But even under these conditions I am not against development of
capitalism, but it should have a social direction.

Do you believe the upcoming election will be fair and transparent?

Everything depends on people. Everybody should listen to their
conscience, and not the instructions of their neighbors, relatives or
friends. A fair and transparent election depends on this. Nobody will
commit fraud at the polling station.

Who will vote for you?

The people of NKR. I will not be asking anyone to vote for me. I will
present my program and I will uphold it in the media and during
meetings. People will make their decision.

What are your thoughts on naming a common candidate? Doesn’t it limit
your possibilities as a candidate?

Frankly speaking, I cannot understand ARF Dashnaktsutyun and the
Movement 88 Party. They were opposition for five years, now they say to
sign the statement. Is it opposition? I can understand the other two
parties, they are pro-government. Does it mean only the Communist Party
is opposition?
They can do whatever they want. They cannot hinder me. The four parties
altogether have 5000 members. The rest of the people of Karabakh do not
belong to any party.

How do you evaluate the work of the media, particularly the Public
Channel in the pre-election period?

I have no time to watch the Public Channel of Artsakh. So I cannot
evaluate. As to the other media, I read them and I think they are good.

Mr. Melkumyan, the issue of the liberated territories has sparked
debates. Do you think the territories should be returned?

My standpoint has not changed over the past 10 years. Although they say
the Communists do not believe in God, I say for the first time God gave
the Armenians a chance to liberate part of their historical land, which
will become a touchstone for the liberation of all the Armenian
territories. We liberated the territories from where the foe shelled
us. However, because of our irresponsibility we failed to settle the
refugees who came to Karabakh in these territories. Why did we fail?
The first mistake was the adoption of the law on language after
Armenia, due to which most Russian-speaking refugees from Baku and
other Azerbaijani areas left Karabakh. The second mistake was the
adoption of the law on civil service according to which the refugees
also have to take the test in Armenian to become a civil servant.
Third, the government must set up enterprises there, even if they are
not profitable, to provide people with jobs and food. It would be
possible to employ 4-5 thousand people.
However, even now it is not too late to start settlement, it is urgent.
It takes first patriotism then money. And it is a must for the entire
Armenian people.
The political problems are not so important to settlement of these
territories at the moment. First of all, Nor Shahumyan and Karvachar,
which have immense importance. The political problems are everywhere.