THE NEW SITUATION IN ARMENIA AND THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NKR
IGOR MURADYAN
14-05-2007 15:52:25 – KarabakhOpen
A new political situation has emerged after the parliamentary election
in Armenia. President Kocharyan mentioned three political parties on
the eve of the voting which could form a new coalition in the
parliament and become his support in his further destiny. These
parties are the Bargavach Hayastan Party, Dashnaktsutyun and the
United Labor Party. However, despite a number of polls, the Bargavach
Hayastan Party got twice fewer votes than it had been expected,
whereas the United Labor Party could not mount the hindrance of 5
percent. The Dashink Party the leader of which was reportedly viewed
by the president as a political partner in the future parliament was
left out of the game. Despite the definite political success of
Dashnaktsutyun, this circumstance had not been taken into account
because Dashnaktsutyun was supposed to have a secondary role in the
pro-government coalition, meanwhile, it happened that he is equal to
the Bargavach Hayastan Party. It is possible that certain factors and
conditions had been overlooked, and now it is certain that the
president did not reach his goal. If nothing extraordinary happens on
these days, an unforeseen situation will emerge in the future
parliament when there will be two main poles – the Republican Party
and the new coalition which may include (possibly in the course of
time) Bargavach Hayastan and Dashnaktsutyun, and not only the Heritage
Party but also the Orinats Yerkir Party may join them. The
controversies among the political sets are too sharp to expect good
faith and cooperation, even on separate issues. At any rate, the
political situation in Armenia has become more interesting and
dynamic, including from the point of view of the interests of
Karabakh. There is hope that the parties which are set in the mode of
capitulation and return of Karabakh, the National Solidarity and the
People’s Party of Armenia, will finally leave the political stage.
Unfortunately, however, the Heritage Party is in the parliament for
which the supporters and voters of the All-Armenian Movement voted in
the recent past, who hate the Karabakh idea. It’s a pity that Tigran
Karapetyan’s group got no seats in the parliament, who would be useful
in corresponding debates. For the Dashnaks whose behavior during the
election seemed heroic (many believed that they had forgotten how to
fight and shoot), it may be a good start to overcome this anabiosis.
But how will the new situation affect the situation in NKR?
In the local election in 2004 the Dashnaks of Karabakh had a crucial
role in the success of the opposition’s victory, especially
in the election to the mayor of Stepanakert. Therefore, the standpoint
of the Dashnaks on the forthcoming presidential election is highly
important. In the new situation when the ARF Dashnaktsutyun does not
need the former ruling coalition, the Dashnaks may launch their own
game together with the Bargavach Hayastan Party, although under the
close scrutiny of Robert Kocharyan. The Dashnaks have to reconsider
their standpoint on the NKR presidential election (at least with
regard to the standpoint of the party leaders in Yerevan, which still
seems highly speculative and based on conjuncture). Why should the
Dashnaks now support their candidate for the post of the NKR president
if in the Armenian parliament they must confront their anthological
opponents? It is one of the rare chances for the ARF Dashnaktsutyun to
become at last an independent political party in Armenia. Bargavach
Hayastan is exactly what the party needs in the nearest future. By
gaining independence in Yerevan where Kocharyan does not possess full
power and has now to play his own autonomous game, the Dashnaks need
not continue to perform the role of an appendix of the NKR government.
Hence, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun faces a choice: to maintain the factual
borders of NKR together with Kocharyan and Bargavach Hayastan or to
play the fatal and abject role of yielding part of our homeland to the
enemy. This election is not a choice between fanaticism and a
calculation but the external stipulation and a meaningful policy based
on a profound analysis and patriotism. And the Dashnaks will not be
alone. In Yerevan a prospect of broad political and public support is
opening up for a free presidential election in NKR.
DASHNAKS OF KARABAKH MUST VOTE FOR MASIS MAYILYAN.