"TOUGH BUT BALANCED" RESOLUTION AND ARMENIAN DELEGATION
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on April 23, 2008
Armenia

During the press conference convened yesterday in the National
Assembly Head of Armenian Delegation in PACE Davit Harutyunyan one
more time introduced his position towards the "Tough but Balanced"
resolution on Armenia.

In terms of its contents the position reaches the following conclusion:
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe did the right
thing, over again wagging finger at our country, making Armenian
authorities stand in the corner for their bad behavior and low
progress.

So the only thing left to do, for our authorities, is to sincerely
repent, to confess to the Europeans that we were less democratic and
promise that we will correct our mistake, "as soon as possible",
desirably before June, so that next time the European Parliament
won’t heap reproach on Armenia.

According to the evaluation of the speaker the main conclusion of
the final report of PACE observers regarding the election processes,
"was not different from the announcement published the next day after
the elections.

But meanwhile there was a concern that there is lack of public trust
in Armenia." The most problematic fact was that the Prime Minister
was a presidential candidate, while holding his office. Though it
was underscored that Armenia is not the only country in this regard,
a proposal was made to review this approach, because it is against
the principle of equality.

As regards the state of the democratic institutions in Armenia –
it is terrible. At the preliminary stage of the discussion of the
bill, in the Monitoring Committee our delegates submitted more than
30 proposals. Which was absolutely not aimed at, "mitigating the
resolution" D. Harutyunyan recorded with unhidden pride.

The document estimated as "balanced" by the speaker, doesn’t utter
a word about the fact that before the tragic event of March 1,
the activists of the resolution were being diligently armed with
cutting-punching tools, and firearms, instead they reproach the
authorities with tough formulations. They also don’t even hint that
the main reason for the bloodshed were the armaments accumulated
beforehand.

This means the hatred and enmity, propagated by the activists during
their unauthorized mass rally for 10 days continuously, and their
productive attempts to instigate the extremists against the law
enforcers, is in compliance with the European standards.

"The resolution was aimed at assessing the function of the democratic
institutions in Armenia, in the present situation, and proposing
solutions.

And the fact of getting armed, or the appearance of criminal elements
in the crowd has nothing to do with the function of the democratic
institutions. We can bring lots of facts about armed people, burglary
of the shops; all this has nothing to do with the function of the
democratic institutions. In this regard I don’t see any problem with
the fact that the before mentioned factors were not included in the
resolution," this was D.

Harutyunyan’s answer to the question of "Hayots Ashkharh" daily.

Touching upon the "essence" of the resolution, together with other
problems "subject to immediate solution" he underscored, "We must
have mechanisms in the political system, providing proper rights and
of course certain obligations towards the country, for the opposition."

What special "greenhouse" conditions should we create for the
opposition to feel better? This issue is not yet clear. However, the
speaker, as a champion of democracy, believes the problem shouldn’t be
settled by the force of custom, as it is accepted in proper European
countries, but legislatively, (for example why don’t we set quotas
for the opposition in elected bodies, or why shouldn’t we enshrine
in the law that if the pro-oppositional candidate declares that he
has won the elections, then we must accept it, L.P.)

This and all the other issues of concern, linked with the fulfillment
of PACE recommendations (particularly: starting "independent
investigation" of March 1 events, swiftly reforming the changes made in
the law on "meetings, demonstrations and protest marches), that is to
say mitigating the restrictions upon them, releasing the detainees on
"political motives", improving the Electoral Code and bureaucracy, and
the coalition processes, will be discussed during the coming "thematic
discussions". In the context of the dialogue with the opposition the
before mentioned issues will be discussed in a broader format.

As regards the "sanctions", in case we fail to "correct our mistakes"
before June, D. Harutyunyan hopes: "matters won’t take such a turn".