HRANT MARGARIAN: ‘OUR PARTY IS A MODEL OF OUR NATION’
By Sevak Hakobian
Yerkir.am
February 02, 2007
Hrant Margarian, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau
representative, was the guest at Urbat (Friday) Club on January
29. Answering the journalists’ questions Margarian noted that the
party’s proportional list will be formed from individuals who have
their own political value.
The list will be finalized at ARF’s extraordinary congress in February
but it is already clear that the number of non-ARF members will be
significantly decreased compared to last elections.
Margarian also noted that even though ARF will nominate candidates
under the majoritarian vote the proportional voting will be in
the center of the party’ s attention. As to who will occupy which
position on the party list, Margarian believes this does not matter
since no matter who is elected under ARF’s list he will implement
ARF’s policies, as is the case in the present parliament.
Margarian informed that ARF will start its pre-election campaign
with a platform which will not be based on opposition against others,
"We will try to prove that we still have some things to do, we still
have something to give to this country, and we believe it is high time
that the population makes a serious choice. It is high time that the
voters make their choice not based on some arbitrary influences or as
a tribute to some authorities, or because of their fear of something,
or their momentary interests because they will have to live with that
choice for the coming four years".
Margarian believes our nation is able to understand that the
vote is directly connected to the type and quality of tomorrow’s
leadership. People can understand that their vote will determine what
will happen in Armenia tomorrow.
This is why the voters should value their votes and their dignity
and not sell their votes.
They should support the forces whose programs can lead our country
towards stability and peace, "where all will be equal in front of
the law, no one will feel insecure, no one will have the right to
take ten armed people and oppress and offend others, where there will
be no discrimination, where the size of one’s neck and arms will not
give one the right to violate the laws, where there will be dignified
life and order, where every one would know that no one can take their
earning from them, where people would be able to earn their lives in
lawful manner, fully paying the state’s share to the state.
We are against injustice in general irrespective of who perpetrates
such injustice," Margarian noted adding that this derives from the
party’s socialist ideology.
Margarian believes our country’s economic potential makes it possible
for us to live much better than we do today. In the coming four
years the country will embark on new phase of development; it will
be possible to fight against shadow economy and corruption, solve
social issues.
It is only necessary to exert adequate political will on the part of
the political force for which power is not a means to get rich but
a means to serve the nation and the country.
The party’s platform will soon be published. It has a clearcut social
orientation. Margarian believes Armenia’s future relies on the force
that can exert political will and not deviate from its goals adhering
to them. ARF cannot impose its will on anyone.
"ARF is a structure that can manage its leadership, check on it and
hold it accountable. This is the most important thing – we are needed
in this country because before the elections everyone seems to be
good, after the elections it’s different. We cannot afford this,
our party’s structure will not allow us," Margarian stated.
Margarian noted that ARF has a very modest number of members – only
seven thousand members, but it is a real force in the country.
He believes even those who do not accept ARF’s ideology fully will
still vote for it if they respect themselves and think about the
country’s future.
Margarian noted anyone who has followed the National Assembly’s work
has surely noticed that ARF has no problems with the quality of its
representation in the parliament. "Because I believe our party is a
model of our nation", Margarian concluded.
Noting with regret that some people sell their votes to be able to
earn their daily bread Margarian assured that reduction of poverty in
the last several years will make it possible for people to think not
about the daily bread but about the future when making their choice.
Being involved in the government is not an end in itself for ARF. "If
our participation is necessary to get the majority in the National
Assembly then we will start negotiations and then decide whether we
want to join the government or not.
We do not avoid responsibility and do not regret for being part of
the present government," Margarian noted adding that ARF had certain
goals when it was joining the coalition government and it stated
clearly what these goals were.
ARF successfully accomplished its goals, something which wouldn’t
have been possible if ARF had not joined the coalition. Commenting
on the possibility of ARF’s becoming an opposition Margarian stated,
"Today I am trying to think that we should be in the government,
we are working towards this.
But becoming opposition is not something terrible for me. If we do not
join the majority we will naturally become opposition. We will become
a good opposition, wait for the next elections to change the government
through opposition and establish law and order in the country.
This is how I would work. I would become an opposition as it is in
normal countries, I would criticize the government, would struggle
against wrong undertakings, I would try to establish the people’s
control over the electoral system, I would do everything but in a
civilized manner." Margarian believes opposition is also power which
ARF has felt and is not scared of.
Commenting on possibilities for cooperation with other forces Margarian
noted that ARF is ready to cooperate with anyone but any cooperation
should be centered around certain goals and programs. Expressing
his hope that the elections will not be rigged this time agrarian
noted ARF is ready to cooperate on this issue with all interested
forces. Margarian believes both the government and the opposition
should be interested in having fair elections.
Elections will be fair if the people believe in their rights. However,
today people do not believe that their votes can change anything. "They
should realize that a person’s dignity is a value that cannot be sold
or accommodated.
This is about my children’s future. Every one should think so,"
Margarian stated adding that it is the people who determine the future
of the country.
Why should people prefer ARF to other parties? Commenting on this
question Margarian stated, "Because we have a clear program, a
collective leadership that does not depend on one individual but on
the party’s program and ideology.
This is what unites us and not dedication or mutual interest connected
with one individual. If ideology and politics is not what underlies
an organization, then it is interest. You know very well that there
are quite a few organizations that have no value at all without
their leaders.
This is not the case with our party. If you take some thirty public
leaders from ARF, nothing will change in the organization," Margarian
stated adding, " We have undergone the test of serving in Armenia
for 16 years, we have passed the fight in Karabagh, we have been
persecuted, we were in the opposition, we were in the government. Today
we can state – this is what we are, and these are the goals that we
have been pursuing."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
