Interview by David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Director Tigran Khzmalyan, the representative of the initiative group of the Sardarapat opposition movement, commented for Vestnik Kavkaza on prospects of the protest movement in Armenia.
- What were reasons for appearance of “Revolution of Greeting”, a protest movement headed by Raffi Ovannisyan?
- The party system was destroyed in the republic completely when Prosperous Armenia, Dashnaktsutyun, the Armenian National Congress, and other political forces decided not to take part in the parliamentary elections. Armenian parties didn’t fulfill their direct duties because they didn’t represent the society. They were kind of clubs established around an oligarch who gathered people interested in the protection of their economic interests. So, they failed to protect the society from the regime, when it was needed.
In fact, political parties disappeared in Armenia after the tragic events on March 1st, 2008. Only labels remained, but in autumn 2012 they disappeared as well. After self-elimination of Armenian political forces, the role of foreign players grew. At the same time, these players have never been interested in destruction of Armenian parties, unlike three presidents of Armenia, who since 1995tried to destroy the political field of the country and establish such pocket parties as the Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia.
- Who was interested in the processes which resulted in the appearance of the Armenian president and an opposition controlled by foreign forces?
- Foreign forces which try to replace the ruling junta by a new colonialism policy in Armenia. After the self-elimination of Armenian political forces, the vacuum in the political field was filled with the civil society. Social movements intensified – protectors of the Mashtots park, environmentalists, civil activists who fight for justice in army and courts. These processes seemed especially dangerous for foreign controllers. And an attempt to settle its own problems by the Armenian society was considered abroad nervously. An inevitable shift to the bourgeois-democratic system is taking place in Armenia. The last leader who managed to consolidate the public movement of Armenia was the head of Heritage Party Raffi Ovannisyan.
- Why do you say “was”?
- Because on April 9th, the day of Serge Sargsyan’s inauguration, Ovannisyan and his Heritage turned away from the public movement and returned to the Armenian political system, preparing for next elections. After Ovannisyan’s two-month activity, foreigners who monitor the situation in Armenia realized that it could lead to unexpected consequences for the current political and socio-economic system of Armenia. On April 9th Ovannisyan faced the fact – he was offered rejection from leadership in the public movement for improvement of his power in the party.
- Why did Western power centers help Sargsyan to stay in office, despite the fact the pro-Western Ovannisyan seems more beneficial for them?
- The current president fulfilled most of the tasks set to him by the West. In 2008 Sargsyan was saved by an ability to balance between Soviet values and Western, bourgeois-democratic values. Sargsyan took duties which were assigned to Levon Ter-Petrosyan. As he continued fulfilling this function, he managed to weaken Ovannisyan by April 9th, 2013. However, he cannot get rid of the military-federal heritage. That is why the West didn’t support Ter-Petrosyan in 2009-2010. In the modern world no bourgeois leader can come in office at the discretion of people. Leaders come in power due to behind-the-scene intrigues, agreements, and will of certain power centers. And Armenia doesn’t even hide this.
- What can be an alternative way of development for Armenia?
- The bourgeois-democratic model doesn’t require anything but new colonialism. Only the democratic development model is acceptable for Armenia, which is implemented in the countries where societies govern through referendums. In Iceland and Switzerland citizens use their national resources in favor of their countries. In Armenia resources are being robbed by foreign companies. We associate development of Armenia not with political parties and foreign forces, but with development of the civil society.
- What is the Russian role in these processes?
- Russia continues playing an important role in internal processes of Armenia. Unfortunately, the process of reduction of duties, traditional control spheres, and Russia’s influence is taking place today. The South Caucasus is a bright example of it: Georgia, Azerbaijan, and now Armenia . The Armenians continue to treat Russia and the Russians warmly, but now we have raised a generation which doesn’t think the pro-Russian direction is the only option.
