SERZH SARGSYAN: OUR GOAL IS TO STRENGTHEN INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
June 11, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, NOYAN TAPAN. As a result of the constitutional
amendments Yerevan Mayor will have less levers for making personal
decisions than the former Mayors, but it does not mean at all that
the share of Mayor’s responsibility or his role will decrease. RA
President Serzh Sargsyan mentioned at the June 11 solemn swearing-in
ceremony of the newly elected Yerevan Mayor. "We, Yerevan residents,
expect a new policy," he said.

S. Sargsyan emphasized that he never links solution of Yerevan problems
with political views, ideological differences. "There is a goal and
different approaches on ways of achieving that goal. The process
of achieving the goal will only gain from it, and Yerevan will also
gain," he said adding that this approach should be introduced into
Yerevan development conception.

According to S. Sargsyan, consistent solution of Yerevan problems
will also change country’s face for the better, as the changes taking
place in Yerevan influence the regions without fail.

According to S. Sargsyan, the country has drawn three important
conclusions from Yerevan Council of Elders elections:

First, the country is able and henceforth should organize good
elections, where vicious phenomena will be eradicated in turn, where
political forces will be able to compete in a civilized way. In this
respect Yerevan Council of Elders elections were instructive, and we
should learn lessons from them.

"We are obliged to be well-prepared when going to the next important
elections to be able to hold good elections and receive our people’s
and international community’s estimation: not "mostly" but "highly or
completely corresponded to the international standards," S. Sargsyan
said.

The second important conclusion is that no infringement, on Armenian
citizens’ suffrage, no violation and illegality will remain without
answer and response. "The constitutional right of forming power through
elections should become an indisputable principle in our system of
values. No illegality will be tolerated, no matter who commits it,
whether an electoral commission member or an ordinary voter," the
country head said.

According to S. Sargsyan, the third important conclusion is confidence
that progress can be achieved when efforts of all forces interested
in further development and strengthening of democracy in Armenia are
directed to a concrete goal, when there is an exact aim, cooperation
and mutual understanding.

"Our goal is to strengthen inclusive democracy in Armenia, to achieve
elections’ being not some special moment of political tension, not
an ordeal for our state and statehood, but working maturity for the
authorities and political forces and test of their programs’ being
in demand," S. Sargsyan said.