ASSESSMENT – EXTREMELY POSITIVE
Lilit Poghosyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
April 09, 2008
Hence expiring his second term of office, today President
Robert Kocharyan will hand over his power to his successor, the
President-elect Serge Sargsyan.
What did the 10 years of the activity of the Republic’s second
President give to the state and the people, what did we manage to do
during these years, what problems do we have in the field of foreign
and domestic policy, that are to be solved. Political scientists,
the time, the history and, of course society will answer all these
questions. Before that, in response to our questions, native MPs are
trying to give assessments to the outcome of Robert Kocharyan’s tenure.
Mkrtich Minasyan
Member of "Republican" faction
"We can definitely say that we recorded significant progress during
Robert Kocharyan’s years of power. We can’t say that 1998-2008 were the
years of failure, there is essential progress, pace of development,
and we hope that in future this progress will be more stable and
productive, because the developments in the world require this."
"Whereas the press belonging to Armenian Pan National Movement,
"analyzing" the tragic results of the "criminal" policy after 1998,
inform that even the Republicans are terrified of the economic "crash"
in store for Armenia, but they avoid speaking about it publicly?"
"I already said that it is nonsense. If at present we compare Armenia
with Switzerland, of course we have lots of unsettled problems, but
let’s be realistic. After all we are not Switzerland we have faced
1990-ies and it was only after 2000 that we recorded progress not
to notice this, means not to see the forest beyond the glade. We all
remember how the ex-President used to describe the dangers awaiting us
before his resignation, saying that we can’t even dream of any economic
progress, unless Karabakh issue is solved. Our people have seen many
difficulties but we have always found strength to rise from the ashes.
We shouldn’t overlook all the factors that used to hinder our
economic progress before 1998: blockade, communication problems,
etc. Experience showed that the ex-President was wrong, we recorded,
and I’m sure we will record serious achievements in all the spheres."
"The Republican Party and the President elect Serge Sargsyan
clarified their position with regard to the appointment of the future
Prime Minister and during the session confirmed Tigran Sargsyan’s
candidacy. What is this choice conditioned by?"
"Tigran Sargsyan has proved with his work that he has good knowledge
in economy, that he is an accomplished economist and banker, whose
intellectual and professional skills are out of question. This is not
only my opinion. I will only remind you about the assessment of the
World Bank and the International Currency Fund, according to which
Armenia is the only state with an accomplished bank system in CIS
countries and in the region.
The stability of financial and bank system, the prospects of
development inspire optimism that under Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
Armenia will be able to start a qualitatively new process of reforms,
which will surely lead to the new standards of progress. The old
methods have already justified themselves but life doesn’t march on the
same spot. We are living in the period of new, modern technologies,
new approaches, and new perceptions and the new challenges require
new standards.
The activity of the new government, in terms of governing the economy
with new methods, will be beneficial for the country. In my view
all the other parliamentary factions will approve Tigran Sargsyan’s
candidacy and the President of the Republic, in a manner prescribed
by the Constitution, after consultations with NA factions, will sign
a decree, according to which the person getting the support of the
majority will be appointed as the Prime Minister of Armenia."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
