POLITICAL NIHILISM
Lilit Poghosyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
March 18, 2008
Yesterday evening, exhausting the agenda of the first sitting of
the regular four-day session, the National Assembly discussed the
draft law on introducing changes in the RA law on "Rallies, Marches
and Demonstrations".
In response to our questions, RPA Press Secretary EDUARD SHARMAZANOV
substantiates the Government’s legal initiative.
"The March 1 events came to show once again that democracy must not
be confused with demagogy, and freedom must not be confused with
impunity. Yes, we have a credo and that credo is building a state
based upon the values of democracy. But after all, it is necessary to
realize that when we speak about democracy, it first of all implies
diversity of opinions and rivalry of ideas. And such rivalry of ideas
must be within the limits of political ethics.
The meetings continuously held by one of the candidates since
September were not political rallies, so to say; they were rather
demagogic protests leading to despotism and have actually nothing to
do with democracy.
Was it democracy when, speaking on behalf of the people, the
demonstration leaders cursed all those who held different opinions
and called them scum, sowed hostility and intolerance towards the
"dissidents", thus violating one of the fundamental principles of
democracy i.e. diversity of opinions?
What happened after February 19 was unconditionally beyond the logic
of a civilized struggle. The post-electoral developments came to
show that it was necessary to regulate the sphere, and introducing
amendments to law on "Rallies, Marches and Demonstrations" was vital.
The marches, rallies and demonstrations in which, according to the
data of the Police and the National Security Agencies, there were
calls for violence and the violent breach of the constitutional order,
i.e. what we saw during the rallies organized by the pro-Ter-Petrosyan
forces beginning September, should not be authorized. No democratic
country has ever moved forward towards the path of nihilism and denial.
We must do everything in a manner prescribed by law in order to rule
out political extremism in our country, and the forces preaching
extremism must have no place on our political arena. Here, a lot has
to be done both by the legislative and executive bodies, as well as
the judicial authority and first of all – our society and the civil
society institutions."
"What about the structures ‘spreading democracy’? Won’t they condemn
the adoption of the Resolution in future?"
"Armenia is an independent and sovereign state which has adopted the
policy of democratic reforms, and any RA citizen, despite his position,
must comply with the Constitution and the laws of our country. As to
what standards are applied by other countries, it’s up to them.
What’s more, I believe that both the American and European structures
realize that the RA legislation is quite democratic, actually more
democratic in comparison with some Western countries.
Second, the electoral process in Armenia was really, democratic and
the main violations were observed in the post-electoral period. I
don’t imagine unauthorized meetings held in any democratic country
for 9 days, without the intervention of the authorities."