DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN ARMENIA NOT AIMED AT PLEASING EUROPE-RULING MP

news.am
May 11 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. Democratic reforms, creation of an atmosphere of tolerance,
justice and cooperation are top priority issues for us, Secretary of
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Eduard Sharmazanov told Armenian
News-NEWS.am, commenting on Council of Europe Commissioner for Human
Rights Thomas Hammarberg’s report on Armenia.

Sharmazanov considered it important that the Commissioner welcomed
the recent instruction from President Sargsyan with regard to the
investigation into the death cases and make the process more open
and public. “Regardless of European officials’ reports, this is a
very important issue for our country,” he noted.

The MP also stressed that democratic reforms are not an end in itself
and are not aimed at pleasing Europe. “We have chosen this path and we
should draw lessons from the tragic events,” he noted, adding that the
investigation conducted by law enforcement agencies should be open and
public. “However, unbiased difficulties should also be remembered,”
Sharmazanov said.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, Council of Europe
Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg released a report on
May 9 on his visit to Armenia carried out in January 2011. The report
focuses on human rights issues related to the March 2008 events,
freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association, and
the human rights situation in the army.