IS ARKADY GHUKASYAN CONSISTENT OR LAW-ABIDING?
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 14 2006
Let us forget about the NKR president running a third term, said Arman
Melikyan, adviser to NKR president on November 14 at the Friday Club
when the news reporters asked to touch upon this issue. "I contend that
Mr. Ghukasyan believes that there cannot be a third term. This is a
credo and this is a real political approach, which is not opportunistic
and is not affected by personal preferences. It was a decision which
stemmed from the public interest. In addition, it was not a choice
between staying or quitting. It was essential to state that the third
tern is unacceptable and harmful," states Arman Melikyan.
He thinks that Arkady Ghukasyan’s move is a serious precedent for
other states in the post-soviet space. Appreciating this seriousness,
nevertheless, it is, difficult not to wonder whether Arkady Ghukasyan
is not running a third term out of his belief, or his credo means
nothing before the requirement of the law, which bars a third term
independent from credos.
"The law bars it, and he acted in compliance with the law. Therefore, I
said it was not a choice between staying or quitting, it was a belief
that he expressed because rumors appeared in the media that he is
likely to run a third term. There is the law. The belief is anchored in
the law and stems from this law," says the adviser to Arkady Ghukasyan.
However, this circumstance arouses doubt. If Arkady Ghukasyan’s
credo stems from the law, the NKR Constitution may arouse other
credos for Arkady Ghukasyan, because the Constitution contains a
provision which provides legal basis for the nomination of Ghukasyan,
and if the parliament majority who support him did not vote down this
provision, it is probable that Ghukasyan’s credo will not change,
say for the sake of the interest of Karabakh, being convinced that
only his staying will save Karabakh.
"There will be a new law, and after all there can be many good laws,
but there may not be will to obey them always, and the decision cannot
change if a letter is changed," says Arman Melikyan. He also says
the public poll on the third term conducted in Karabakh by policemen
on the order of the chief of the Police Isagulov is not evidence to
a possible change of the decision. Arman Melikyan says he does not
have such information, this is not official, and whatever is there,
is a bad favor.
"You see, there are many people around us who make bad favors, and
it is pointless to fight against each of them separately," says
the adviser to the NKR president, who has perhaps advised Arkady
Ghukasyan not to fight against people who do bad favors. After all,
people will go and favors will stay.