At this time of the year the people living in the villages are most concerned about agricultural issues. The villagers are thinking about the money to buy devices for land cultivation, seeds.
In spring the main topics of the conversation of villagers relate to the abovementioned. However once 4-5 years another interesting topic appears among the villagers – politics. Once 4-5 years Parliamentary elections take place in Armenia and besides their spring problems the villagers become concerned with state issues. The villagers of Koghb village of Noyemberyan were also concerned with those issues. “You know, besides being villagers we are also voters,” says one old-age man. “Once 4-5 years our politicians start to remember us. They come to us with their fancy SUVs and well clad. They start to speak about problems, showing that they are also normal people just like the villagers and also have issues. And we tell them, welcome. They start from the far end and approach the main goal. That is vote for us and we will solve your problems. After being elected they forget about us and show up once again during the next elections. Now it’s time for elections.”
Noyemberyan differs from other regions of Armenia because it has a common border with two former USSR states – Georgia and Azerbaijan. Even in the borderline villages of Georgia Azerbaijani live. And many landing areas of the borderline villages are not used as they are too close to the Azerbaijani border and it’s dangerous. For example, 450 hectare land in Barekamavan is not cultivated because of that reason. Noyemberyan also has such mined areas. Noyemberyan is considered the socially poorest regions of Armenia. And the conditions got even more deteriorated when Bagratashen’s Sadakhlo market was closed. Now they are doing agriculture clumsily because they don’t know who they are going to sell the products in fall. Noyemberyan residents have another great issue – potable water and irrigation. Candidates always give promises before elections but easily forget about the solutions once they get elected. Now they are waiting what the new candidates are going to propose.
Besides its geographic position Noyemberyan is also known as #40 territorial district and has about 50000 voters. And now a deputy of that region wants to be elected Levon Ananyan (chair of the writers union), born in Koghb who lives in Yerevan as well as NA Deputy, Michael Vardanyan, Hrant Vardanyan’s elder son. The residents also say that besides those candidates another person from Noyemberyan, Arman Amiraghyan, wants to run. The latter also lives in Yerevan and is occupied by fuel importation. Armanoil Company belongs to him. Besides that Amiraghyan was recruited in the Republican Party last autumn. However, the residents believe that the main struggle is going to be among Ananyan and Vardanyan. Current Noyemberyan deputy, Hovik Abovyan is not going to be nominated this time. They say in Yerevan he was promised a
good position. Let’s remind that Ananyan was nominated in 2002 as well and lost to Abovyan. M. Vardanyan became a deputy by the proportional list of the ARF party. The Noyemberyan residents were speaking quite respectfully about Ananyan.
Vardanyan’s hope is probably the few villages of Tavoush marz included in #40 district. They still grow tobacco for the Vardanyans in Tavoush. Also #40 district is a quite complicated one because it includes neighboring Ijevan, Tavoush and Alaverdi. The residents of that district think that the elections are going to be pretty tense in that region. Some people say that they want to elect Ananyan but are afraid that the governmental candidate, Vardanyan, will be elected. The governor has already called the head of the village and ordered him to work for Vardanyan.
More courageous voters promise to fight for free and fair elections although they think that Ananyan won’t be able to resist. At any rate the residents of Noyemberyan decided to support their candidate. “Do you remember how inspired we were in 1999 when we elected Vano,” remember the villagers of Noyemberyan. The factor of the dignity may raise a great noise and make the elections in Noyemberyan very tense.