Armenian parliamentary opposition to cooperate with ruling party

Aravot, Yerevan
14 Jun 07

Text of Anna Israelyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Aravot on 14 June
headlined "Let us work together" and subheaded "Heritage extends its
hand to the Republican Party of Armenia [RPA] which stole its votes"

The presenter of the debate organized yesterday at the Hayatsq club
asked a question – "Can the parliamentary forces?…[ellipses as
published]", and as he stopped for a moment, MP from the RPA faction
Eduard Sharmazanov finished his thought – "work effectively". Another
participant in the debate, secretary of the Heritage faction, Stepan
Safaryan, added "work together". The main idea of the conversation to
follow was the one of cooperation. Sharmazanov announced that the RPA
expects a constructive debate from the opposition and is ready to
cooperate with it. Safaryan noted that the government should also be
inclined positively towards the initiatives of the parliamentary
opposition, and should not overuse the fact that they have a majority
in the parliament, as it did in the previous parliament.

Aravot asked why the experience of 1999, when the RPA, which was part
of the Unity faction, decided to cooperate with opposition proposing
them to head separate committees of parliament, was not used now.
Sharmazanov said that "this option was also discussed. However, the
leaders of the party found that this is a more efficient format. We
should take into consideration that apart from the coalition, a
political force is involved here that according to Hrant Margaryan
[high ranking member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun] is an alternative both for the opposition and
government, although in fact it is governing". He stated again that RPA
is ready to cooperate with opposition in parliament.

Asked by Hayots Ashkharh on what issues they will work with the
government, Safaryan said that there are numerous issues the approaches
to which are similar. "For example, the importance of the law about
repatriates has been considered both by the Heritage and the RPA. There
are approaches towards increasing salaries and pensions, which are
practically similar in the programmes of the Heritage, the RPA, the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun, and the Prosperous
Armenia Party [PAP]. At least at the declarative level (life will show
how it will be in reality), the overcoming of poverty in the country
has been considered important." Safaryan also added that "we will make
some legislative proposals. As the powers that compose the government
have announced that they are ready to discuss proposals directed at the
development of the country and the improvement of prosperity, then
naturally we expect that this will not be forgotten and our proposals
will be accepted."

Even pro-government journalists were surprised how the Heritage Party
is going to cooperate with a force that it accuses of being elected by
fraud. "Nobody from our party, and I think in Armenia, has stated that
the RPA and the PPA have no votes," Safaryan said, "the issue in
question is about the picture that could turn out as a result of the
election, if they were held in accordance with the law, if there was no
atmosphere of fear." The journalists did not stop being surprised at
how they [the Heritage Party members] are going to cooperate with the
ones who have created this atmosphere. "Our issue will be to free
society and the country from such occurrences," the Heritage secretary
said. The MP from the RPA asked who created this atmosphere, which
caused the journalists to burst out laughing.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress