– How can you explain the fact that RP lost a lot of local government elections in Marzes?
– I think journalists don’t have enough information to come to these kinds of conclusions. I think there was no way to win the elections 100 %, but I think after you have all the information you will see that RP didn’t lose its positions, moreover it became stronger.
– Does this kind of result make you worry before the referendum?
– Of course it is a great favour to say that the referendum is the problem of RP. Of course it is so, but let me remind you that the Constitution belongs to everyone, to the society. It doesn’t belong to the authorities, to the parties, but to citizens, and it is clear that the victory must belong to the country and to the society too. In spite of different discriminating announcements concerning the opposition and authorities, every normal person can see that this doesn’t concern these relations. Because in the result of this process the authorities will not change, only the Constitution will change, which is going to apply for everyone and be in use for many years to cme. It doesn’t depend on which political parties will have many places in the NA or which candidate will win the presidential elections. It is a pity that there are people who try to discriminate everything only with the aim to rule.
– Whom do you mean by that?
– There are a lot of people who do so. I mean those people who try to use the referendum with the purposes of their own political interests.
– What do you think about the opinion of the head of “Republic” political party Aram Sargsyan stating that if the authorities want to organize fair referendum they’d better let them attach their own posters with “no” on the front wall of the State University?
– This opinion cannot be justified. Because those people, who speak about fair and equal principles must not cheat the society in favour of their own political interests. What kind of justification do they have? Nothing, except some false articles. The opposition is divided into several parts. Ones that say they will vote “for” the Constitution in case the NA is dissolved. Others say they are not going to participate in the referendum at all. And others say they are not going to vote and are going to boycott. I can speak about these kind of approaches more. The fact that they don’t have a common approach means that they don’t have any serious justifications. As for the Academy building, it was leased and no one had given that building to anyone. They can try to do that themselves. Did they offer anyone to lease a building?
– Artashes Geghamyan suggeted the authorities that he would petition their followers in case the authorities agreed to dissolve the NA after the referendum. What do you think about this?
– I don’t have to think about that. First of all the referendum is not a commercial deal for them to bargain. I don’t think it is good of them to make these kinds of announcements. If the Draft is good, people must vote for it without bargaining, but not ask something for voting or campaigning. And if there are any political parties that want to work in favor of the Constitution, they can come and work with us. This is the only way. They can’t dissolve the NA just like that. Serious people must think that the Constitutional Draft is better than the existing Constitution.
– The 17 political parties have petitioned people to gather in Yerevan in case of any violations during the referendum and make a public meeting, which can bring to revolution later. Don’t you think that they may do that?
– We should not expect this to happen.. They must stop this kind of behavior and realize that this is a fateful situation for us. European institutions are seriously interested in Armenia. Do they think about this? This kind of behavior is not justified.
– Before the opposition made this kind of announcement the US ambassador John Evans had made this kind of announcement concerning “protecting their interests in the streets”. What do you think about this?
– It is very strange that John Evans or other representatives of other countries make these kinds of announcements. This is our own country and we are to decide what to do. They don’t have a right to announce their opinion about the Constitutional Draft. People shouldn’t forget everything so soon, they must also remember what had been said before that, and must think that they are going to say other things later too.
– Why do the authorities forget what he said and why didn’t they remind him that he didn’t have a right to make this kind of announcements?
– Because he didn’t interfere in our internal developments. He just expressed his own opinion, his approach and estimations. And in general, he is right. If there are any serious violations people will have a right to protect their interests. Why are they sure that this is going to happen? John Evans said “If…”