"HENCEFORTH, THERE IS POWERFUL AND ORGANIZED OPPOSITION IN ARMENIA," REPUBLICAN MP SAYS

Noyan Tapan
March 26, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. After the formation of the new
government, the authorities should establish a bridge of dialogue
with the opposition realizing that henceforth there is a powerful,
and organized extraparliamentary opposition, which should be talked
to. Making this statement at the press conference, which was held
on March 26, Samvel Nikoyan, the Secretary of the Republican Party
of Armenia faction of the RA National Assembly, mentioned that there
are a number of spheres, where the authorities and the opposition can
cooperate. The opposition members, according to him, can take part
in the establishment of the institute of the Human Rights Defender,
for example, or in the formation of the National Committee of TV
and Radio. Samvel Nikoyan mentioned at the same time that as far
as the leaders of the opposition call those in power "Mongol-Tatar
aggressors", it is useless to speak about a dialogue.

In response to the observation of journalists, according to which
the opposition demands to set free the people put under arrest in
connection with the March 1 events in order to start a dialogue,
Samvel Nikoyan mentioned that one should "distinclty differentiate
between the demonstrators and those making disorders." In his opinion,
if a person has made calls to ruin the state power by force, has
armed people or robbed shops, he should be punished."

Touching upon the newly-created coalition, the Republican MP mentioned
that the Republican Party of Armenia has always been ready for a
coalition activity. "No party, irrespective of the abundance of
its resources, can implement an absolute power. That is why we have
tried to form a coalition, which is also directed at increasing the
confidence of society," Samvel Nikoyan said.