SERZH SARKISYAN: AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR MARCH 1 EVENTS
Regnum
March 14 2008
Russia
Armenian authorities are responsible for events that took place om
March 1. Newly elected president of Armenia, acting prime minister
Serzh Sarkisyan made the statement while speaking in national TV live
broadcast on March 13.
Serzh Sarkisyan reminded that he repeatedly warned that such scenario
was possible, and almost all candidates spoke about it in the election
campaign. "But we failed to prevent it, which makes us responsible for
what happened," he said. At the same time, Sarkisyan is convinced,
it is not timely now to evaluate, what side is more to blame. It is
time to think about how to deal with the consequences.
Commenting on the question about the police being prepared enough
for the events of March 1-2 and often acting just silly, Sarkisyan
remarked that the facts were just another evidence that the police had
not initially been prepared to suppress the protesters. He admitted,
at the same time, that the police was not sufficiently equipped,
in many respects worse than the army.
The authorities did their best to prevent the clashes, he asserted.
"Allegations stating that the protesters were suggested to hold their
actions only on the square of the Dynamo Sport Complex and the railway
station square, are false. Officers of the law-enforcement agencies
asked the protesters to proceed to the square before the Matenadaran
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. But the offer was rejected since it
was when Levon Ter-Petrosyan had already issued instruction to deploy
the rally before the French embassy. Then they set up barricades there,
and did not follow appeals of the police to avoid illegal action,"
Sarkisyan accounted.
Answering the question on whether guns were used against the
protesters: "No, not against the protesters. We are speaking here of
people who performed plunder, and of armed people," Serzh Sarkisyan
explained. He stressed the strict distinction between armed people
and protesters. The country’s legislation contains regulations on
cases in which law enforcement officers have the right to use weapons,
he has reminded.
Sarkisyan observed that in a regular situation, his victory and
following merger of political forces could become a holiday. But the
post-election events smashed not only the election process, but the
people and the country.
Commenting of the question about whether employees of law-enforcement
agencies are going to be prosecuted, Sarkisyan has emphasized that
all facts are being examined in criminal proceedings. "Not a single
innocent person will be held accountable, but all the guilty will be
punished," he said.
In the presidential election of February 19 in Armenia, prime minister
Serzh Sarkisyan was elected head of state. According to official CEC
data, he received 52.82% of ballots. Opposition candidate Ter-Petrosyan
followed him with 21.5% of votes.
Radical opposition headed by Levon Ter-Petrosyan organized protest
rallies, demanding that new election be held. On March 1, in a clash
of a protesters with the police, eight people were killed, according
to official data. The riot has been stopped after a state of emergency
was declared in Yerevan.
Constitutional Court of Armenia has confirmed victory of the
governmental candidate Serzh Sarkisyan.