The former president uses his well-known tactic of gradual take-over
At the third meeting within the dialogue between the ruling coalition and the opposition ANK the sides came to agreement on intensification of meetings: instead of a weekly meeting the participants intend to meet twice a week.
The head of the delegation of the ruling coalition David Arutyunyan explained this decision by an intention to speed up the process of improving the situation in the country. The opposition delegation complains on the atmosphere around the talks. The authorities haven’t met the demand of ANK to broadcast demonstrations of the opposition in the Public Television of Armenia and other channels. Moreover, ANK representatives state that the authorities continue breaking citizens’ rights, including freedom of movement. However, the coordinator of ANK Levon Zurabyan says that it doesn’t mean the opposition refuses from talks.
Ahead the third round of the talks on August 2nd the ANK demonstration took place. The initiators of the meeting confirmed they strive for holding early elections. The tone of the meeting was radical. Representatives of the opposition, Aram Manukyan, Aram Sarkisyan and Nikol Pashinyan stated that elections should take place in the nearest months and urged the authorities to resign. “I urge the authorities to stop playing with people! Do not wait for September, when thousands will come to streets. Even if you are ready for compromise then, nobody will need it,” Zurabyan said. The leader of ANK, the former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan expressed confidence that in September or October the problem of the inner political crisis should reach its pick.
Notwithstanding radical spirit of the opposition, representatives of which promise to lead thousands dissatisfied people at the streets, the leaders of ANK registered two positive moments. First of all, the members of the ruling coalition delegation officially stated that they represent government and the president Serge Sargsyan. Secondly, the ruling coalition agreed to discuss the problem of forming the legal power through elections. The result of the third round of the talks is agreement on discussing at the next round the question of holding early presidential elections in October, and later parliamentary elections.
Now the agenda includes two ANK and the authorities’ proposals. The opposition demands early elections, while the authorities say for holding the elections principles of providing civilized political competition should be developed. These statements do not oppose each other. The main thing is that violence and pressure toward political opponents, which the authorities had been practiced for three years, are gone, giving space to civilized political dialogue.
For example, the government had to reconsider its statement that the 1st March case is closed, there are no political prisoners in the country and the dialogue with the opposition is impossible. The most important achievement of the opposition is that the authorities agree to discuss the problem of early elections. It happened due to the work of the opposition, which is directed at transformation of the political field. As a result, the authorities act as responders. They have to react at the opposition demands, such as providing balance of views in TV-channels, repealing a ban from broadcasting of ANK demonstrations. The rest of demands touch on elections. The opposition urges the authorities to shift to full proportional parliamentary system and increase agitation time in the Public Television in 5 times.
Actually ANK and its leader Ter-Petrosyan do not do anything new. 20 years ago Ter-Petrosyan and other leaders of the Karabakh committee without any stresses by civilized political fight made the communist resign. And today the former president uses his well-known tactic of gradual take-over without support of any foreign forces.
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to VK.
