By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kakvaza
The Armenian opposition parties Dashnaktsutyun (ARF), Prosperous Armenia (BHK), Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Heritage put forward 12 demands for socio-economic reforms on June 10. They demanded the government to put an end to the system of compulsory accumulative pensions and return payments that have already been made back to their owners, reconsider the fine system for traffic rules, repeal the turnover tax for small business, reconsider subsidies for production of agricultural products and irrigation water, boost the economy and limit monopolies…
The opposition set a deadline of September 30 to comply with the demands. At two meetings after the summer vacation, the opposition quartet confirmed readiness to organize a joint protest to discuss the progress of the government. In a few days, the quartet will name the date for the protest.
Many members of the quartet have no doubts that the government will do nothing to achieve progress in changing the socio-economic course. In June, a new law on accumulative pensions was passed, the compulsory component was simply transformed into a new tax of 5% of salaries.
On August 1, prices for electricity increased by 10%. The socio-economic background has not changed at all in the three months that have passed since the announcement of the demands.
At the latest meetings, the quartet decided to fix the status of border villages legally, initiate parliamentary hearings on emigration, and appeal the new law on accumulative pensions at the Constitutional Court.
Only BHK and ARF addressed the Constitutional Court. The Heritage Party and the Armenian National Congress see no point in that because they are certain that the Court will protect the interests of the government. Members of parliament of the ANC and the Heritage offer to assist other parties of the quartet to collect signatures in the parliament to appeal the Constitutional Court.
ANC and BHK leaders Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Gagik Tsarukyan have recently had a meeting. They discussed the results of cooperation of the quartet in organizing the protest, the importance of visits to regions to inform the population about the protest. Bilateral cooperation between BHK and ANC, the two most influential powers of the four, was taken by experts as a new stage of intensification of collaboration within the opposition.
Naturally, in the light of the processes, the government is taking counter-measures. At a recent speech, President Serzh Sargsyan noted, commenting on the upcoming protest: “The opposition has the right to do what it wants but it has no right to break the law.” Some analyst took it as a veiled threat to use force.
In a speech on September 6, the president said at the Council of the ruling Republican Party that the situation in the country was entering a more active stage. He urged the republicans to put aside their work and join the lawmaking process. Sargsyan compared absence in the parliament with rioting.
Maybe the president wanted to mobilize the parliamentary majority and prevent demoralization in the ruling party in the light of activating opposition. On the other hand, the government is worried about the balance of forces in the parliament, where the ratio of the Republican Party votes and uncontrolled votes has dropped to a minimum.
To be continued
Sargsyan wants to prevent demoralization in his ruling partyBy Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik KakvazaThe Armenian opposition parties Dashnaktsutyun (ARF), Prosperous Armenia (BHK), Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Heritage put forward 12 demands for socio-economic reforms on June 10. They demanded the government to put an end to the system of compulsory accumulative pensions and return payments that have already been made back to their owners, reconsider the fine system for traffic rules, repeal the turnover tax for small business, reconsider subsidies for production of agricultural products and irrigation water, boost the economy and limit monopolies…The opposition set a deadline of September 30 to comply with the demands. At two meetings after the summer vacation, the opposition quartet confirmed readiness to organize a joint protest to discuss the progress of the government. In a few days, the quartet will name the date for the protest.Many members of the quartet have no doubts that the government will do nothing to achieve progress in changing the socio-economic course. In June, a new law on accumulative pensions was passed, the compulsory component was simply transformed into a new tax of 5% of salaries.On August 1, prices for electricity increased by 10%. The socio-economic background has not changed at all in the three months that have passed since the announcement of the demands.At the latest meetings, the quartet decided to fix the status of border villages legally, initiate parliamentary hearings on emigration, and appeal the new law on accumulative pensions at the Constitutional Court.Only BHK and ARF addressed the Constitutional Court. The Heritage Party and the Armenian National Congress see no point in that because they are certain that the Court will protect the interests of the government. Members of parliament of the ANC and the Heritage offer to assist other parties of the quartet to collect signatures in the parliament to appeal the Constitutional Court.ANC and BHK leaders Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Gagik Tsarukyan have recently had a meeting. They discussed the results of cooperation of the quartet in organizing the protest, the importance of visits to regions to inform the population about the protest. Bilateral cooperation between BHK and ANC, the two most influential powers of the four, was taken by experts as a new stage of intensification of collaboration within the opposition.Naturally, in the light of the processes, the government is taking counter-measures. At a recent speech, President Serzh Sargsyan noted, commenting on the upcoming protest: “The opposition has the right to do what it wants but it has no right to break the law.” Some analyst took it as a veiled threat to use force.In a speech on September 6, the president said at the Council of the ruling Republican Party that the situation in the country was entering a more active stage. He urged the republicans to put aside their work and join the lawmaking process. Sargsyan compared absence in the parliament with rioting.Maybe the president wanted to mobilize the parliamentary majority and prevent demoralization in the ruling party in the light of activating opposition. On the other hand, the government is worried about the balance of forces in the parliament, where the ratio of the Republican Party votes and uncontrolled votes has dropped to a minimum.To be contin
