Friday,
Opposition Seeks Total Ban On Electioneering By Teachers, Doctors
• Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - Children wave the ruling Republican Party's flags at an election
campaign rally in Aragatsotn province, 20Mar2017.
An opposition lawmaker has claimed that a new government-proposed legislative
amendment limiting the ability of educational and medical workers to campaign
for a candidate during elections still leaves room for foul play.
For years workers at public schools, kindergartens and state-run health
institutions in Armenia have been regarded as key agents of influence for the
government during elections.
In the run-up to last year’s parliamentary elections a local civic group said
its activists posing as representatives of the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (HHK) had telephoned 136 schools and kindergarten chiefs across
Armenia, learning that 114 of them had drawn up lists of children’s parents as
well as schoolteachers and kindergarten staff who pledged to vote for the HHK.
The Union of Informed Citizens (UIC) said the lists were submitted to local
government bodies or HHK campaign offices and also publicized audio of those
phone conversations.
The HHK admitted that many school principals participated in its election
campaign. But it claimed that they did so “beyond their work hours and work
duties.” The party headed by President Serzh Sarkisian also denied that they
illegally pressurized their staffs and children’s parents.
While the authorities failed to act upon the information reported by the civic
group, 30 school principals filed a libel suit against the UIT and one of its
leaders, Daniel Ioannisian, demanding a formal apology and some $125,000 in
damages for the information which they said compromised their “honor and
dignity.” Eventually, they dropped their lawsuits that drew strong criticism
from the Armenian opposition and civil society, but were defended by the HHK.
Armenia’s election law totally prohibits judges, employees of law-enforcement
agencies and servicemen from campaigning during elections. Amendments sought by
the government also prohibit healthcare workers, teaching staffs at
universities, schools and kindergartens as well as civil servants from
campaigning during their working hours or in their professional capacity.
During a debate on the relevant Election Code amendments at the parliamentary
standing committee on state and legal issues on Thursday MP Gevork Petrosian
from the opposition Tsarukian faction expressed his concern that the measure
will not solve the matter, calling for a total ban on election campaigning by
school principals and teachers and healthcare workers.
“If adopted in its current form the Election Code will leave room for the
all-out use of teaching staffs in electoral processes allegedly outside working
hours,” Petrosian claimed.
Deputy Justice Minister Artur Hovannisian, who participated in the debate from
the government, explained that totally preventing teachers and doctors from
campaigning during elections will restrict their constitutional rights. “This
would limit their basic rights enshrined in the Constitution, and we can’t do
that,” the official said.
Gevork Kostanian, the head of the committee, further argued that prohibiting
teachers and doctors from campaigning for candidates in their professional
capacity should dispel the opposition concerns. “In other words, teachers or
health workers cannot phone children’s parents or their patients in their
professional capacity and ask them for something [related to elections] because
they won’t have any grounds for that. They may do so only if they are, for
example, friends,” he said.
The amendments were eventually endorsed by the committee dominated by the HHK
and were included in the parliament agenda. The bill in question also suggests
criminalizing the use of administrative resources during elections, making it
punishable by imprisonment for 3-5 years. Amendments to the Electoral Code also
provide for criminal liability for mediation in vote buying, which will be
punishable by imprisonment for 1-5 years.
Opposition Alliance Divided Over Anti-Sarkisian Protests
• Astghik Bedevian
• Karlen Aslanian
• Sisak Gabrielian
Armenia - Leaders of the opposition Yelk alliance hold ling an anti-government
rally in Yerevan, 19Jan2018.
Representatives of a three-party opposition alliance represented in parliament
have downplayed the threat to their unity despite differences over tactics of
opposing outgoing President Serzh Sarkisian’s perceived intention to stay in
power.
Nikol Pashinian, the leader of one of the Yelk alliance’s member parties, Civil
Contract, insists that street protests are needed to thwart Sarkisian’s
becoming Armenia’s next prime minister, which will be the top policymaking post
in the country after a 2015 constitutional reform is fully enacted in April.
Civil Contract has officially reserved Liberty Square, the traditional venue
for political protests in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, for April 1-3. The
Pashinian-led party reportedly presented a “roadmap” for action to other Yelk
allies – the Bright Armenia and Hanrapetutiun (Republic) parties, which,
however, did not endorse it.
“The majority of the alliance sees concerns regarding this roadmap and current
discussions are about dispelling these concerns, because all parties in the
alliance agree that there is no taking the public to another defeat and
disillusionment,” Gevorg Gorgisian, a lawmaker representing Bright Armenia,
said.
Earlier, publications in the media suggested that Bright Armenia and
Hanrapetutiun were more inclined to oppose Sarkisian in parliament by means of
fielding their own candidate for prime minister. Pashinian, who leads Yelk’s
nine-member faction in parliament, has even been named among possible
candidates for prime minister.
Meanwhile, Gorgisian did not rule out a situation in which Civil Contract will
stage rallies independently from the rest of Yelk. “That, however, would not be
the best solution,” the opposition lawmaker said.
Pashinian stated that Sarkisian’s remaining in power was unacceptable to him.
“I can’t just do nothing and watch Sarkisian extending his rule,” he said.
Earlier, however, Edmon Marukian, the leader of Bright Armenia, said that
people missed the chance to struggle against Sarkisian when they overwhelmingly
voted for the governing party in last year’s parliamentary elections that the
opposition claims was marred by large-scale vote buying and use of
administrative resources.
Despite the current situation within their alliance, Yelk’s representatives
have sought to downplay the threat that differences over how to oppose
Sarkisian pose to their unity.
Political analyst Armen Grigorian believes, however, that if Yelk has
differences over the “top political issue” of Armenia, which is President
Sarkisian’s continued stay in power, “it is difficult to imagine how in the
future they will be able to work together.”
“They may have a consensus on secondary issues, but if they differ over the top
political issue, it is difficult to consider Yelk as a united political group,”
Grigorian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
Commenting on the situation inside Yelk late on Thursday, deputy parliament
speaker and spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Eduard
Sharmazanov emphasized that it was the opposition alliance’s “internal matter”.
“But speaking generally, political processes should be taking place inside the
parliament. Last year’s parliamentary elections showed that there was no
[public] discontent in Armenia for post-election rallies,” Sharmazanov said.
Before launching constitutional reforms in 2014 President Sarkisian, who is the
leader of the HHK, pledged not to seek a top government post if Armenia
eventually switched to a parliamentary form of government. He himself has not
yet spoken about his plans after the expiry of his current office on April 9,
but senior representatives of the HHK, including Sharmazanov, have repeatedly
expressed their “personal view” that Sarkisian is the best candidate the ruling
party has for the country’s next prime minister.
Together with its junior coalition partner, Dashnaktsutyun, the HHK controls 65
seats in the 105-member National Assembly and can easily install its candidate
as prime minister during a vote expected to be held on April 17.
‘Not Nice’ Of Armenia To Annul Normalization Protocols, Says Turkey
Switzerland -- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (2ndR) and his Armenian
counterpart Eduard Nalbandian (2nd L) shake hands as they hold signed documents
after a signing ceremony, Zurich, 10Oct2009
It was “not nice” of Yerevan to annul diplomatic protocols that would normalize
its relations with Ankara, a senior Turkish official said on a trip to Baku on
Friday as reported by an Azerbaijani news agency.
In the first official public reaction of Ankara to Yerevan’s move Turkey’s
Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz again linked the implementation of the
agreements, which were never ratified by parliaments in either country, to the
resolution of the protracted Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Turkish-Armenian accords envisaging the establishment of diplomatic
relations and opening of the border between the two countries was signed
through the mediation of Switzerland in Zurich in late 2009. The United States
and Russia supported Yerevan and Ankara in their endeavor to normalize
historically strained relations.
In negotiating the deal Armenia insisted that its implementation should not be
conditioned on other issues. After its signing, however, Turkey repeatedly
linked it with progress in Armenia’s negotiations with its regional ally,
Azerbaijan, regarding the settlement of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Citing Ankara’s continuing refusal to implement the normalization protocols
unconditionally, Armenia formally annulled the agreements on March 1.
“Although the Zurich protocols between Turkey and Armenia had not been enacted,
it was not nice of the Armenian side to take a decision to annul them,” said
Yildiz, who attended an international forum hosted in Baku.
Azerbaijani news agency APA quoted the Turkish diplomat as claiming that
Yerevan benefited more from the protocols than Ankara. “It is their decision.
All the same they have demonstrated their unwillingness to settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict over all these years. This way they once again
demonstrate the same position. What we do expect from them above all is their
withdrawal from the Azerbaijani land. This was the key to resolving this
conflict. But they did not want it,” Yildiz added.
During a news briefing in Yerevan on Thursday Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister
Shavarsh Kocharian confirmed that the decision to annul the protocols was
properly communicated to Turkey and reiterated that “the Armenian side is ready
to conduct negotiations aimed at normalizing relations without preconditions.”
“We have not received any offer from the Turkish side in that direction,” the
senior Armenian diplomat said.
Armenian Opposition Group Marks Activist’s Death Anniversary
Opposition activist David Sanasarian addresses a rally of the Front for the
State of Armenia in Liberty Square, Yerevan 16Mar 2018
Several hundred supporters of a nascent Armenian opposition group held a rally
in Yerevan on Friday that was largely devoted to the one-year death anniversary
of an activist jailed for aiding a group of pro-opposition gunmen during their
standoff with security forces two years ago.
Artur Sargsian broke a police cordon on his car to deliver food to members of a
radical opposition group, Sasna Tsrer, that seized and held for more than two
weeks a police compound in Yerevan in July 2016. Sargsian, a 1992-1994 Karabakh
war veteran who had a number of chronic conditions, was jailed along with
dozens of the pro-opposition gunmenafter their surrender to security forces and
died shortly after being released from pretrial detention on bail the following
year.
An opposition supporter holding a portrait of Artur Sargsian during a march
organized by the Front for the State of Armenia movement in Yerevan on the
activist’s one-year death anniversary, 16Mar 2018
Speakers at the rally organized in Liberty Square by the Front for the State
for Armenia (FSA) paid tribute to the memory of the man, who had earned the
popular nickname “Food Bringer” for his act.
They also criticized the government and outgoing President Serzh Sarkisian,
calling for a combined effort to stop him from staying in power as prime
minister after he completes his second and final term next month.
Activist David Sanasarian called on opposition Yerkir Tsirani party leader
Zaruhi Postanjian and one of the leaders of the parliamentary opposition Yelk
alliance Nikol Pashinian, two of the most outspoken government critics, to join
hands in pushing for a change of power in Armenia.
“We all have differences over various matters. But I am confident that we all
will prove as mature as to leave aside all our differences and show our unity
to the people,” Sanasarian said. “Let’s form a common agenda.”
Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) earlier on Friday, one of
the FSA activists, leader of the opposition Zharangutiun (Heritage) party Armen
Martirosian said that by not engaging in street protests Yelk will indirectly
support Sarkisian.
“If there is no unified opposition, the public will certainly not join the
struggle,” Martirosian stressed.
While Pashinian and his Civil Contract party are in favor of staging street
protests and have even reserved Liberty Square for April 1-3 for possible
rallies, the two other members of the alliance – the Bright Armenia and
Hanrapetutiun (Republic) parties – do not consider street protests to be an
effective means of struggle and are more inclined to oppose Sarkisian’s
possible election as prime minister inside the parliament.
The FSA, which is trying to drum up popular support in its anti-government
push, said it will hold its next rally in a week. The movement has also
announced that it will hold “periodical” rallies during the week commencing on
April 9, when President Sarkisian’s powers will end and parliamentary factions
will have seven days to name their candidates for the post of prime minister.
Under Armenia’s reformed Constitution that will be fully enacted in April, it
is the prime minister who will wield real power in the country.
Press Review
“Hraparak” considers it unfair to blame ordinary people for their losing faith
in everything “while there is so much hypocrisy in politics”. “Some politicians
speak about unity and consolidation, but when they are asked why they
themselves don’t unite to fight for something in a consolidated manner they
dismiss everyone as corrupt. Others complain about the government, but when the
moment for a real fight comes, they follow the street protests in front of
their computer monitors. Still others criticize political parties for not being
consistent, but they themselves have a record of changing several parties and
ending up in some government position. It is no wonder that people just can’t
make head or tail amidst so many lies,” the daily comments.
“Zhoghovurd” observes that Armenia’s isolation from major regional integration
projects continues. It reports that a meeting of the foreign ministers of
Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran and Georgia took place yesterday and the main subject
for discussion at that meeting was the possibility of creating a south-west
transport corridor. “As a result of this cooperation Armenia’s isolation will
be getting deeper and economic projects will bypass our country with all
ensuing negative consequences. And it is not clear what Armenia can do about it
besides smearing its neighbors, participating in the Russian-led trade bloc and
telling tall tales about cooperation with the European Union,” the paper claims.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” suggests that “while political cynicism has always been
typical of Armenia’s authorities, in the past they at least tried to create an
illusion that they stick to the rules of appropriateness.” “Now they even
dispense with these formalities. The mechanism of elections has been ruined
completely and maintaining the rules of external appropriateness becomes
pointless,” the daily writes.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” writes: “Members of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK) still do not disclose the name of their party’s candidate for the post of
Armenia’s next prime minister, at the same time they keep stating that
personally for them the most preferred candidate is [outgoing President] Serzh
Sarkisian. In doing so, they cite various reasons, with some even saying that
they may force Sarkisian to become prime minister against his will. Still,
there is also a theory that the HHK and Sarkisian may offer a surprise at the
last moment and name a different person for prime minister. This theory is less
popular and only few possible candidates are mentioned in this unlikely
scenario. The main one is current Defense Minister Vigen Sargsian.”
(Lilit Harutiunian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org
