[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Russian]
Imprisoned ex-Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has criticised the current government, especially Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, over the handling of his trial and their overall "incompetence" in an interview with the Russian-language Golos Armenii weekly published on 30 July.
Kocharyan, who was president of Armenia from 1998 to 2008, has been charged with acting unlawfully by introducing a state of emergency in March 2008, following a disputed election. At least ten people were killed in clashes between police and protesters.
'Incompetent' government
"Can we fight off the challenges standing against the country just by relying on populism and slogans? It is obvious that we cannot. We need to make super-efforts, be super-organised and be super-competent to overcome the challenges…There are no signs that the ruling power understands adequately the complexity of the challenges standing in front of the country," Kocharyan was quoted as saying in the interview.
While detailing the challenges the country is facing, Kocharyan said: "We are pressed between four countries. Our relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan did not work out well, to put it mildly. Iran is on the blacklist of the United States [and is] under the pressure of sanctions. Georgia is actively leading towards the geopolitical alliance, which is conflicting with the one that Armenia has joined [Eurasian Economic Commission]…We have a small and ageing population with a worsening demographical situation, which deprives Armenia of the effect of the large-scale economy…We lack rich natural resources, which would make us attractive for the major extra-regional corporations. Our territory is small, and is easily bypassed thanks to modern communication methods…the diaspora's role in Armenia's financial progress is declining…plus, there are problems with the Karabakh settlement process," Kocharyan said.
Finding fault with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's foreign policy, Kocharyan said that Pashinyan "is trying to imitate honesty, which however is not always successful. This is the reason of political duplicity [between Russia and the West], blurred geopolitical orienteering and constant faults, which have led to inferior relations with partners. It is impossible to do something you do not believe in," Kocharyan said.
Kocharyan's arrest
Commenting on his detention, Kocharyan said that "the painstaking efforts" of the incumbent authorities to isolate him "based on completely far-fetched accusations" have raised many questions. "If this is just an obsessive vendetta, then society should be worried about the mental profile of the prime minister".
Answering a question about the "comedy" played out in the country's justice system, Kocharyan termed the developments "a shame" which will be remembered in the country's history for years as measures to publicly deprive the accused of all rights during the "trial" session. "Lawlessness continues in the country, and they bring different pretexts to not allow me to appeal the illegal verdict about my arrest. The prosecutor's office of the country has become a political inquisition. It is difficult to imagine that such lawlessness is possible anywhere else," Kocharyan said.
According to the ex-president, he is "compiling his opposition activities and legal defence" in prison, however he sees "the bright side as well".
"The incumbent government are hysterical, it has taken off its mask of a fighter against injustice, showing everyone that its slogans and values have nothing to do with reality. This is critically important for the part of society able to think; the government has lost their support," Kocharyan added.
Answering a question about the upcoming presidential poll in Nagorno-Karabakh scheduled for 2020, Kocharyan offered hope that the revolution that took place in Armenia "would not be exported to Karabakh, despite the tireless efforts of the Armenian authorities".
"Usually, a snap election is the reflection of internal political conflicts, which do not exist in Karabakh," Kocharyan said, urging the people of Karabakh "to stand firm and reject any efforts of destructive interference".