The nationalist Armenian opposition declared a preparation for massive street protests. On September 17th, Ishkhan Sagatelyan, the vice speaker of the National Assembly, a member of Armenia Parliamentary Faction, said that the future of the Armenian statehood was under threat. According to him, the country is in danger and stands at a crossroads, while the internal political crisis is growing. However, there is a power which is able to prevent Turkification of Armenia, which is “the main threat to interests of the Armenian people.”
Ishkhan Sagatelyan is a young vigorous politician who has recently been appointed to the post of the vice speaker. He is a faithful and active member of Dashnaktsutyun nationalist party with a clear Turkophobic position.
No wonder the Dashnaks who have entered the parliament are frightening Armenia with an old threat in a modern adaptation. The amazing thing is that Sagatelyan who speaks about the “Turkification” threat with a straight face doesn’t specify what exactly the threat is. Do “hostile forces” plan to invade the republic, destroy its statehood, and besiege Yerevan or do they threaten the sphere of Armenian mentality which is going to be replaced by linguistic, cultural, and other traditions of Turkic people soon? It’s unclear what an Armenian common citizen should expect. However, it doesn’t matter as Armenia Faction doesn’t mess around and actively prepares for resisting the threat.
The vice speaker's words could be attributed to another empty populist rhetoric which is typical for Dashnaks but the problem is that Sagatelyan appeals to revive senseless street protests. Forces of the united nationalist opposition get back to the tactics which is usually used by non-parliamentary forces as they have no political tools of pressure on the authorities. So, there’s a logical question: why should the Armenian society have had to vote for politicians who are unable to protect interests of their electorate in the parliament and call the republic’s citizens on street protests instead?
It is interesting that nationalists have started their campaign in autumn, 1.5 months before an anniversary of Armenia’s defeat in the Second Karabakh War. They hope to ease the society into the date and “ride upon” mourning moods which are going to prevail in the republic by the time.
During three months of working in the parliament, the nationalists participated in several fights, sabotaged two sessions, demanded the end of criminal prosecution regarding members of opposition factions, rejected premium in celebration of the Independence Day of Armenia and numerously insulted Premier Nikol Pashinyan. The opposition didn’t propose any certain steps on overcoming the crisis on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. All recent decisions, including quick building of a bypass transport route on the road between Goris and Kapan, were made with the acquiescence of the nationalists. It seems Armenia Bloc and Honor is Mine Bloc are okay with the steps taken by Pashinyan’s party. The only thing the opposition would like to fight for is authority in the republic. In other cases, there are neither fights nor proposals.
Made-up patriotism of Dashnaks can’t impose an alternative political reality on society. Members of Armenia Bloc and Honor is Mine Bloc haven’t prepared a program on economic recovery and haven’t proposed any decision for the benefit of people. Now Dashnaks want to shout aloud on the streets because they have failed to speak and work in the National Assembly.
