UNIFICATION OF PARTIES NOT A MECHANICAL PROCESS
Gevorg Harutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on Aug 01, 2008
Armenia

Interview with the Leader of Armenian National Progressive Party
Edward Antinyan.

"Mr. Antinyan at what stage is the process of the unification of your
party with "Ramkavar" party?"

"We don’t have disagreement regarding the issue of the unification with
"Ramkavar" Party on ideological bases. Moreover bilateral readiness
is evident. But the process of the clarification of the principle
clauses of the future party’s program and the adoption of the agreed
version is still in process. Until this happens we can’t even speak
about coming to a final decision by means of a joint congress."

"Armenian Pan National Movement sharply criticizes all those who look
for alternative solutions in the pro-oppositional domain. Why do they
hate the idea of forming a third force or a new political pole?"

"We shouldn’t forget that after the pan-state elections in 2003, some
part of the people and some political figures met the deadlock and
tried to find ways out. They were proposing certain formats capable of
wining, but the opposition of that time announced that those who look
for other option or those who leave "Ardarutyun" union are traitors.

There was no sense in the activity of that union. They did not
manage to meet the expectations of the society. Later the leader of
"Ardarutyun" union announced that he would run for the coming elections
without the party. Which means he himself betrayed his own party.

If the leaders of the parties feared the blackmail of the "single"
opposition of that time and ceded their position, today we shouldn’t
make the same mistake. And it will be better for those who consider
themselves real opposition to struggle against the ruling power
instead of struggling against those pro-oppositional parties that
have different ideologies."

"Do you think the radicals will manage to form Armenian National
Congress?"

"It is not a secret that the first President overestimates the picture
of his team-members and the social support. He usually states that
400 thousand people participate in the demonstration and he never
accepts that the number of the parties supporting him becomes lesser
and lesser. During the demonstration on July 20 Levon Ter-Petrosyan
announced that 23 parties support him. But you can see the list of
the parties supporting him in his official site, in the section "Team
-2008". As of July 20, 17 parties were mentioned there, including
"Alternative" social-political initiative and "National Renaissance"
that simply doesn’t exist.

The thing is Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s "Blitz Dan ce" operation has been
torpedoed long ago. Not only the number of the participants of the
demonstration but also those gathered on the stage becomes lesser and
lesser. Even blackmail doesn’t help the first President at the moment.

He is well conscious of all this, that’s why he is trying to put
all the blame on Robert Kocharyan, even to hand the latter over to
Hague Court.

Let’s consider he managed to gather enough signatures and those who
gave their signatures will wait for good results. But later they
learn that there is not result. This means it was a regular attempt
to inspire their supporters as usual to disappoint them later.