The third president of Armenia will bear significantly more responsibilities to the state than the first and the second ones. Furthermore, each time that responsibility will be larger. There are two reasons for that. One: The inertia processes of the collapse of the great empire (Soviet Union) have ended (as in foreign policy, in inner policy the successors will have to find answers for the actions of their predecessors too). In some countries, for instance in Estonia and Latvia, those processes finished sooner, and now it is our turn to reach that point. Two: The first president entered into tenure when the country was confused and was at the peak of emotional crisis, and it was not so important who the president would be and what he would do. The Armenians that lived in Armenia in that period and now are in different countries of the world are definitely trying to forget those times or have already forgotten them. The citizens of the state that had just collapsed were under the influence of freedom-loving and democratic ideologies, which they got under the pressure of meetings, rallies, and by collective mentality, and they were following the processes of both collapse and national euphoria. The only thing that remained after those processes was the fact that Armenia got independence. That independence was reached independent of our will, notwithstanding the referendum that some people say was decisive for Armenia’s becoming independence.
The wheels of the state are moving against the people
The first president was more an emotional symbol than a conscious act (this has happened to many of first presidents). It is hard to analyze the way he came and left: he is more a sign that symbolized not the governmental processes or their effectiveness that much, but a change of decorations. Do people remember him? People remember the best ones, but not the first ones; they remember the second ones, the tenth ones… The second president brought some hope connected with the most essential issue of that time, which is “how the Karabakh conflict negotiations may develop”. It was the only thing that had remained at that time as wealth. The answer existed: “Don’t worry about Karabakh”. However, it didn’t last long. And in the tenure of the second president, Armenia lived under the sword of Damocles; what will the compromise be or what will we return to Azerbaijan? I have said numerously that it is a very dangerous game and it is clear that the country and its president don’t have international experience. They shouldn’t auction the most expensive thing all the time. I believe the second president wants very much to understand many things and correct the mistakes in parallel with the ongoing processes. Many people were concerned about this shortcoming and they were afraid he would spend his time in his second turn on the economy, which is more important than military power. However, the biggest mistake made by the president was failing to understand that important thing. Certainly, he tried to undertake that by saying that he had a goal to provide 40,000 new jobs, but he could not do that. Now he is very careful in his promises. It turned out that most of the people were not satisfied with his term in office. There is much pressure secretly imposed on the freedom of businesses, and this is expressed by the number of people that are leaving the country. Also, the number of projects implemented has been cut down. For instance, let’s discuss the capital of the Armenians living in Russia who decided to invest, but were treated unfairly by the government and changed their mind. However, this problem has another aspect. The state system does not work properly in our governmental system, which is explained with the changes in the Constitution. Today the wheels of the state are running against the very people of the state. This is the point where the second president continued with the policy of the first president.
A good life is better than an army
The economy is and has been left aside during these years. As a result of financial machinations, first of all connected with the currency exchange rate, the small number of products produced domestically and exported were seriously affected. Nevertheless, if the economy were in such a level of integration as the integration level between Armenia and Karabakh, it would be very successful and would develop rapidly; the citizens of Georgia, Syria, and Azerbaijan would wish to come here to work in the cheap labor market (as they do in Europe). If so, the parliament would adopt laws restricting migration (there would be psychological improvements too) and due to the cheap labor we would direct our economy towards facing the military leanings of our neighbors. A good life is better than an army since it may help the population forget about the many hidden demands of, and ties between, the military and politics.
Economic integration
By the way, one of the biggest problems will be the fixed position of an independent Karabakh when its interests don’t correspond with Armenia’s interests. I wrote about this bacl in the period of the Constitutional amendment discussions. The problem is that one and the same nation is creating two states. For example, the Germans – GDR and Austria, the Greeks – Greece and Cyprus, the southern Slavs (the Macedonians, Serbians, etc.), the Arabs, or this same Kosovo, will never become Albania… The sooner economic integration between the two parts of our nation develops, the better. This is the necessary immunity of the Armenian citizen that is missing now, and will continue until the government develops this integration of economies and states. This is the reason the state is trying to improve the army. The citizens of a country, which has fought the aggression of its neighbors and won a war and who were struggling to stand together, and are now leaving the country after many years of suffering. Armenia cannot survive in such a system of values, where zoological capitalism (following the laws of the jungle, instead of a more humane approach) is flourishing. The Armenian people that have lived through genocide may survive only being in a socially secure, sustainable and self-sufficient state. The best example is the wonderful social policy implemented by the Jews in the Israeli state.
Standard of authority
The third president is coming to authority in a rule steeped in corruption, in the true sense of the word, i.e. criminalized. The entire state system is working against the people, taking the most important thing they have – the freedom of choice. The university entrance exams, parliamentary, or presidential elections are revealing from time to time the hypocrisy of the authorities. About two centuries ago, America elected its third president – Thomas Jefferson – who was one of the brightest political figures in world history. In that period, there were as many problems in their country as there are in our country now, furthermore, in that period there was neither an existing formed state system nor the most important thing – STANDARD OF AUTHORITY. Jefferson is the one that constituted a limited term of the president’s tenure – “not more then two terms”. What stood then, in America, stands now, and is forming many positive things in American political life, which are JUSTICE, FREEDOM, RESPONSIBILITY TO ANYONE AND TO THEMSELVES… This is what that extraordinary man left for his nation, who swore that he would not change his ideologies and principles, which would serve each person that set foot on the new land.
Individual and team
Each person has strong and weak characteristics connected with the problems he or she may solve when governing. When electing someone, it is very important to know his/her appearance and whether he/she fits with the given position or not. In other words, there is no need to appoint someone that is not well educated, is not professional, but is aggressive, as a director of a kindergarten. It concerns candidates for president too. Certainly, there are some important and essential issues in each historical phase. Thus, in each of the mentioned phases people elect a president, someone that they think can solve the mentioned problems best. Each candidate, being elected, creates a team and office correspondent to his personal characteristics, whose merits (first of all intellectual, professional and human) he/she will use to govern the country.
To solve the existing problems in Armenia, there need to be intellectually developed, professional and at the same time active people in the government. The transparency of the executive, legislative and judicial branches inspires trust in the investors (both domestic and foreign) to conduct business in the country, without which the country cannot develop. And the most important thing – realizing JUSTICE. However, we don’t see intellectual and enthusiastic people in the government. Instead of that, we see active people who know the system and who boldly circumvent the law. As for following laws, this deems to be very “shameful” and turns back to you like a girl after losing virginity. This is where the degradation of intelligentsia, scientific and academic potential starts. The authorities have reached their goal. The scientific potential DOES NOT EXIST in the country any more. There are only a few single scientists, and some other bearers of science in certain fields.
National-state interests
Franklin D. Roosevelt has left his name in world history as a great president of the United States of America. He started his first pre-election campaign in the most difficult times of the country. Once he received a letter from mafia head Lucky Luciano, who suggested supporting Roosevelt in his bid to be elected. Roosevelt agreed and Lucky Luciano backed him… And everyone knows where Luciano appeared after Roosevelt was elected. Politics is dirty only in tactical issues, and in the case when the strategy of the state’s leader is personal, i.e. when it is either corporative or clan, but not national. The president’s position anticipates national-state interests, and if those interests don’t exist, the government becomes deformed.
Deficit of idea and ideology
What did the recent parliamentary elections show? Three main conclusions 1) There are no ideologies concerning the state system, governmental mechanism and business (this is the strangest thing) to serve EACH citizen. At the same time, there is lack of ideologies not only in the government, but also in the opposition. This means that there are dangerous structural changes in the country (altering ministerial posts, duties, and the like), which are transforming real problems into a field of absurdity. If so, you can say whatever you want, or MPs can just ignore their responsibilities as deputies… This is what many deputies of the previous and existing parliament did and are doing. 2) The recent elections show the power of state resources and the weakness of the opposition. I think for some people there are more finances than power and for some others there is more power than finances. The future president should have a strong will and a politician’s foresight to take efforts and stop these weak practices of analyzing situations without worked out strategic goals in this controversial and difficult region with many problems. 3) The country does not need shock in this phase. Certain principles of behavior are being created in the country now, and each sector should have its orientation vector. The main moving power in Armenian society is the oligarchs, only some of which are civilized. People are already tired, and they have to pay more attention only to the human qualities. Especially, it is very important to have simple contact with people and demonstrate some love to them, which is controversial again since the high walls, bodyguards, and many other things don’t help it at all. The intelligentsia has generally lost its role in the government. No one sees this lack of ideology. This shows that people are disappointed. One of the biggest mistakes of the Armenian state is that it has never taken into consideration the life of one human being, and especially its worth.
We don’t like our fatherland despite the fact that we swear by its name. Even if we do like it, we do it unconsciously and emotionally, when sitting around a table and drinking. It is many centuries that this piece of land, which is almost Paradise, has been suffering in our own hands, as we are leading it badly. In other words, metaphorically speaking, instead of making new and good roads, we are teaching drivers who can drive well in such conditions. We are not even able to create strong, long-lasting and fair ties between all citizens in the country (this is the rule that helps prosperity). Today we are spoiling our country ecologically with our inhuman relations. The ambitions of power are more important now than human honor. William Saroyan said that the Armenians are very much like the Irish, who are talented like us and have historical, heavy burdens and problems. However, let’s listen to what one of their greatest persons, William Battler Yates, who was given a Nobel Prize, said to a member of the first Irish parliament: “It is indecency on the part of a man to lie, or, even more, to lose personal honor in favor of patriotism.” Or, “There are things that a person should not do in favor of saving the nation.”
Yes, we are not a kind nation, since if we were, we would make the right choice in our own value system, included in the governmental system, and thus would adopt and enact laws, which each citizen would deserve. In other words, we would appreciate everyone in a due manner. As for our country, in order to live here people have to spend most of their constructive energy on surviving. Now please think about what other we need to create. The presidential elections are a creative work too, and we should pay due attention to it, especially in consideration of the problems of our country discussed above.