– According to the report submitted by the chief rapporteur of the UN refugee issues 6226 Armenians found shelter in other countries in 2009. The number of Armenians applying for shelter in 44 countries increased by 43%. In your opinion what serves a result for this?
– This is the expression of difficult social-economic situation in the country. And indeed this is the result of the incorrect policy conducted by the RA government. People here simply cannot find jobs. They cannot take care of their social issues; neither can they see any prospect in this country. And the best and most common reflection of this process is the migration of the citizens. They abandon their homes and country. The whole world was in crisis and at the beginning there was an impression that the situation of our counterparts living abroad was difficult. There were saying that here the crisis is less and that the Armenians will soon return home. Such exceptions were created by our government with its announcements. But this showed that the anti-crisis of our government failed. And people don’t have any expectations from the government. So they find the best option of the migration. Indeed during these last years the migration rates have increased. Of course there are difficulties outside and there is crisis over there too but it turns out that the difficulties existing abroad are more acceptable, tolerable than the ones here.
– Is it only the social-economic situation that created higher rates of migration? Have the events of March 1-2 and humiliation of human rights not served a reason for the people of Armenia to leave Armenia?
– The March 1-2 events and the social-economic situation are interlinked. In general the three main – national, democratic and social issues are interrelated. One can help the other to find solution and the opposite may happen too. The issues may be multiplied. You can’t solve social issues in the country when you have serious democratic issues imperiling the country. How can we speak about a legal state when at every step the people’s rights are being violated? As a result of the sum of these issues the migration takes place. And if the government wants to find out whether its activity is efficient it should check the migration dynamics.
– Why are you always criticizing the government? Is the issue really in the high circles? Can the government resolve the mentioned issues on its own?
– When I say government I mean the whole governmental pyramid because in Armenia we have a uni-flow government. There is no separation of power. Meanwhile it is necessary that the NA-President-Government had checks and balances on each other. We were saying that the economy and the politics are extremely linked but now we have appeared in a worse shape. After the resemblance of the state-government now we are moving to the resemblance of state-party. It is natural that the situation will have negative consequences. I don’t feel it is possible to solve this.
– If you are complaining so much of the incumbent government then what ways do you see for the solution of the issues raised by you?
– The way is pretty clear. It is necessary to change this policy. There are two ways. Either this government should understand that this stream is destructive and should proceed with changing their course or yes, there should b change of government. There should be new political forces, which possess the solution of these issues; they have more realistic programs and solutions. And the people should be sure that they won’t be cheated again. We have to make sure that the government just doesn’t give promises and renounce those after being elected. And it’s no accident that before coming to power the political force should be right or left by which they are applying the social issues and slogans. For making correct reforms the government should work objectively and in an unbiased way and their staff should be professional. Instead the current government has surrounded themselves with loyalists but they are not professional. Currently the main agony of the economy is the monopolies. Several dozens of people or even less are directing the economy. The government is not able to change this situation. The economy is linked with the monopolies. Give freedom and competition to the economy.
– This issue has existed in the country for years when the ARF was in the government and Kocharyan was the president. Why were you not criticizing the government at that time and why wouldn’t you demand free competition?
– Yes, there were such issues back in the day as well but there was a certain tendency of resolving these issues. But that wasn’t enough for us either. The rates of solution were very slow. Now it is not clear what direction the government is going to. They are promulgating one thing but doing another thing. And not only do we not have progress but also are regressing. We have had complaints during the tenure of Kocharyan and when we were in the coalition. We have said that the main worry of ours is the foreign policy course of the government. Now the government has become so uni-course in the country that you cannot be a part of the government even if you have 13 ministerial portfolios.
– Wasn’t the government uni-course during Kocharyan’s tenure?
– In 2003 when we joined the same coalition there were serious debates and collisions in the coalition. Sometimes the debates may go out the frames of the coalition and the society could see that. There were various viewpoints. I don’t know if there are any differing viewpoints? I don’t see those.
– Recently the report of the OSCE/ODIHR was publicized on human tortures, which had criticized the RA judicial and police systems. Do you share the concerns of these structures?
– I agree. Moreover, it was necessary to speak about these issues long ago and not just now. In these sectors concrete reforms are necessary. There cannot be a legal state if the judicial system is not independent. There is lack of trust to the judicial system. People are trying to move their cases in foreign countries to win it. The only achievement that we had is that people now can apply to the European Court. People are doing everything today to move their cases to the European Court. This has happened as a result of Constitutional reforms. That’s why I am saying that at the time there were positive tendencies.
– During the tenure of the previous government the ARF had a high role and this gives grounds to assume that the ARF wishes to return Kocharyan.
– This was spread by the journalists. The ARF says whatever it wishes.
– The president of the Federation of International Defense of Human Rights (FIDH) Suer Belasen made a special message, by which it urges the Armenian government to release the political prisoners. HE also urged the government to objectively investigate the death cases of 10 victims of the March 1-2 events. Do you agree with Belasen?
– We have done the difficult reforms and revised the articles of the Criminal Code, which relate to political contents. And the last political step wasn’t fulfilled. The amnesty was necessary and if we condition this with the events of March 1-2 events and the text of the amnesty said that it was connected with that then the amnesty should have been applied for everyone. But this wasn’t done. And as a result we have a semi-complete step taken. And this is the reason why we have the current situation. These issues must have political solutions. If you wish to close the page of March 1-2 you should take rapid political measures. As long as we don’t have this the page cannot be closed. The page is not closed because the motives of the events are not simplified and the consequences are not examined properly. The circumstances of the death of 10 people are not investigated. This is a very heavy case and it’s necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible. The necessary political will wasn’t demonstrated.