Interview by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The tendency of woman’s political role improvement is one the hallmarks of our time. The chairwoman of the opposition party Gnchak, MP from the Republican Party of Armenia Margarit Yesayan tells Vestnik Kavkaza about the role of a woman in the Armenian political life and the internal situation.
- The post-election processes in Armenia are accompanied by protests initiated by the former foreign minister, the leader of Heritage Raffi Ovannisyan. Can these protests turn into a wide socio-political movement?
- Of course after the presidential elections, a part of society is happy with the results of the elections, another part is unhappy. Seven candidates took part in the elections, each of them had supporters. Ovannisyan who took the second place gained much more votes than the opposition’s leader in 2008. 539 672 people, or 36.75% of voters, voted for Ovannisyan. They though that their candidate would win. However, the current president Serge Sargsyan got more than 800 thousand votes.
I hope that Raffi Ovannisyan who is gathering people on the Freedom Square now realizes that more than a half million votes were given not to his personality, but against the policy provided by the authorities. 37% reflects protest voting of the citizens who are not happy with the socio-economic situation.
A significant role in this context was played by rejection of participation in the election by more popular politicians – leaders of the Armenian National Congress and Prosperous Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Gagik Tsurukyan. I’m sure in case of their participation the 37% would be shared between other opposition candidates.
I don’t see any logic in Ovannisyan’s steps. He doesn’t speak about using force for power capturing, he urges to act within the law. At the same time, nobody from representatives of Heritage in the election committees refused to sign final protocols. That is why Ovannisyan’s suit to the Constitutional Court is doomed.
- Are statements on necessity of new parliamentary elections argumentative?
- I don’t know anybody who would make statements on new elections today, except for Ovannisyan and other representatives of Heritage. If Ovannisyan is speaking about following the law, he should know that there are no legal reasons for dissolution of the National Assembly and conducting new parliamentary elections. In the parliamentary elections of May 6th, 2012, Heritage gained only 5%, but today Ovannisyan and his supporters are surprised with such a high level of public trust. I think Ovannisyan hopes that he would maintain these 37% in case of new parliamentary elections, but it is unfair to people whom he gathered on the square. It would be fairer that Ovannisyan would try himself in power and take part in a difficult process of changing the socio-economic situation.
- Do the protest attitudes mean deficit of trust to the authorities by the society? What is the main problem of the Armenian power today?
- It doesn’t matter who would be on Ovannisyan’s place, people would come to the streets anyway because their life is so hard. If people live poorly, the authorities have a lot of problems. To change life for the best, the authorities must turn face to people’s problems. They must learn about problems of common people, rather than oligarchs, bureaucrats, criminal elements, and officials. I think first of all we should create new jobs, increase salary rates. Social equality to the law should be restored. The justice system needs serious reforms.
- What skills compose a female politician’s image?
- Politics is not a man’s monopoly. Politics and state structures benefit from active participation of women. There 14 female MPs in the National Assembly today. It encourages more moderate relations between opponents, decrease of tension during discussion of bills, women create a calmer and more positive atmosphere. A female politician has to be smart, cunning in a good sense, literate, having a delicate moral system of values which would be strong. A female politician should see a lot, but not to be a person of many words.
- In Armenia people continue to think politics is a man’s business. Who among your colleagues fill confident in this sphere?
- Unfortunately, today not all women feel confident in politics. Some of them lack experience, others – political informativeness.
- Do family and politics suit well?
- I have been working as a journalist for 30 years, and this job takes a lot of time as well. Nothing has changed for me in the sphere of my household responsibilities now. But when I was a journalist I was free in my speeches and contacts. Now I experience certain restrictions. Sometimes my speeches and interview in the mass media are interpreted ambiguously by some political forces, and I am attacked. II have three children, and they suffer from attacks at me. I feel responsibility for my family and try to provide a balanced and independent position and avoid steps which could embarrass my family.
