STEPAN SAFARIAN: AMNESTY WILL NOT JUSTIFY PUBLIC’S EXPECTATIONS
Noyan Tapan
June 15, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. After the May 31 Yerevan Council
of Elders elections the opposition ceased to pose danger for the
authorities, and at present it’s no use speaking about any compromise
by the authorities or possibility of cooperation. RA National Assembly
Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction member Stepan Safarian expressed such
an opinion at the June 16 press conference. According to him, the
confirmation of it is the stopping of the activity of the fact-finding
committee on study of the 2008 March 1-2 events.
According to S. Safarian, the amnesty, for discussion of which a NA
special session will be convened on June 19, will not be the way the
public expects.
"I am not sure that all charges against political prisoners will
be removed and the four deputies will be released and will return
to the National Assembly," the deputy stated. In his conviction,
the opposition deputies will be punished by the authorities, they
will be imprisoned for some period of time and will be deprived of
their mandates.
Touching upon the PACE session to be held soon, at which the issue
of Armenia will be also discussed, S. Safarian expressed an opinion
that the Monitoring Committee does not have much willingness to
present an unbiassed report. According to him, Monitoring Committee
Co-rapporteurs John Prescott and George Colombier being in Armenia are
not going to meet with the parliamentary opposition, in particular,
with the Zharangutiun faction. In deputy’s opinion, the Co-rapporteurs
will present a regular report "awakening pleasant memories" that will
not reflect the real situation in the country.
In spite of the recent unyielding position of RPA, S. Safarian does not
expect split of the ruling coalition. However, "rather serious yet not
voiced discontent" inside the Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia)
party can have an impact on the situation inside the coalition.
Whether the three opposition forces, ANC, Zharangutiun and ARFD will
manage to come to an agreement on cooperation – the negotiations
will show. S. Safarian said that Zharangutiun and ANC have much
in common in the issue of establishment of democracy and legality
in the country. Meanwhile Zharangutiun and ARFD can cooperate at
the parliament, as well as over national issues. Thus, even if the
tripartite format fails, according to S. Safarian, the Zharangutiun
party can be a mediator between opposition forces.
According to S. Safarian, most of the 12 cooperation points mentioned
by ANC are also on Zharangutiun’s agenda long ago. However, in his
opinion, the mentioned points do not include all problems society is
concerned with.
Besides, today the opposition has to "play by the rules of the
authorities," at which the authorities are better.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress