TER-PETROSYAN CHOOSES THE INOPERATIVE OPTION
GEVORG HAROUTYUNYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 06, 2008
Armenia

Interview with political scientist EDUARD ANTINYAN, Secretary of the
political council of the `Liberal Progressive Party’

`What are your comments on L. Ter-Petrosyan’s speech delivered during
the second congress of the `pan-national movement’?’

`Some way or another, L. Ter-Petrosyan had to respond to the political
situation that emerged more than two months ago. He can’t remain silent
forever. Otherwise, who’s going to give an answer for the victims and
ravages? Ter-Petrosyan was forced to initiate a certain process ` to
justify himself and persuade his proponents that the struggle continued.

Naturally, the struggle could not go on with the aggressiveness he had
initiated. Life showed that it is impossible to come to power by such
methods. Silence would have meant to assume the entire burden of
responsibility. The `new movement’ which has begun will undoubtedly
encourage some people and disappoint others. But he has the opportunity
to say `if you believe me, let’s go on with the struggle.’

If we, for a moment, ignore the motives, we can say that the movement
does really have certain positive features. Despite the fact of
recognizing or rejecting the election results, he admits the existence
of the ruling authorities. Besides, he makes no urgent demands for
organizing new elections on the state level, admitting that society and
the international structures are not ready for such a test. Entering
into the atmosphere of community elections, the internal political
tension will essentially decrease.

Public tension, however, will not decrease because the people have not
yet realized what has really happened. An ordinary citizen doesn’t know
why he was pushed to a conflict with the authorities, why the situation
was exacerbated and why they are beginning a new process now. In such
situation, a lot of strange things may happen for the people. This is
L. Ter-Petrosyan’s second bluff.’

`Is Ter-Petrosyan trying to find some justification or does he pursue
other goals by resorting to bluff?’

`Before the presidential elections, I had the occasion to say that L.
Ter-Petrosyan served for Robert Kocharyan’s interests only. During the
past ten years, he remained silent, and his silence greatly served in
favor of the authorities. During the recent years, the press supporting
the Armenian Pan-National Movement was fiercely criticizing the ruling
authorities; it was doing its best to prevent the pro-opposition camp
from becoming accomplished. Activeness in this period was a message to
the next president, by which L. Ter-Petrosyan wanted to say that in the
course of the coming 10 years he will be a factor whose opinion has to
be considered.

Ter-Petrosyan is doing his best to persuade the people that his time is
not over yet. But there has emerged a situation when someone has to be
held accountable for the victims. In such situation, the ex-President
is actually attempting to create an impression that he is not to blame
for the events which happened; all that was the fault of the
authorities, and the only person who could have given an instruction
was Robert Kocharyan.

This is an attempt of introducing a new idea in jurisprudence ` the
precedent of post-development evidence. An attempt is being made to
prove a person’s guilt by the conduct he displays after the event. And
by imitating an incessant and continuous struggle, he will consistently
try to avoid responsibility.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress