HASN’T DECIDED IF NDU IS OPPOSITION OR NOT

A1+
08:24 pm | July 31, 2009 | Politics

The National Democratic Union (NDU) has not held any public event
since the 2008 presidential elections.

Vazgen Manukyan announced today that he had refrained from interviews
for a long period, was appointed chairman of the Public Council
and the press conferences and interviews mainly had to do with the
activities of the council.

Apparently, this party is currently not represented by anybody
after the death of vice-chairman of the party Alexander Butayev who
represented the party on different occasions and in different meetings
and Vazgen Manukyan is more involved in public actions.

"A1+" tried to find out what the NDU is doing today.

"What are the other parties doing today? The Armenian National Congress
holds rallies once a month, but what are the others doing? It’s a
low season," said Manukyan andsaid that his party’s activities are
not against those of the public council.

There was a time when the party considered itself the opposition. What
camp is the party in now?

"The party is not in power, meaning it is not represented as president,
in government or in parliament. That is why from that angle it is
not pro-government. If it is not pro-government, in some sense it is
the opposition."

This means that Vazgen Manukyan doesn’t have a clear picture of which
field his party is in.

"When we say opposition, we always picture rallies and reproachment. We
are a little different and that is accepted in the world."

Perhaps your party is constructive?

"We are not constructive because we haven’t proposed anything to
be constructive."

Nevertheless, Vazgen Manukyan noted that the party is participating
in the council’s activities regardless of not being pro-government.

He considers the fact that opposition members change camps and the
people who were sharply criticizing the government are now holding
this or that post.

Is it possible to see the party become active? In response, Vazgen
Manukyan said: "But what activity in August?"

What about September?

"We will see. I can’t say," said Chairman of the Public Council and
the National Democratic Union, Vazgen Manukyan.