Addressing the crowd on March 1, the ANC chair Levon Ter-Petrosyan read out a 14-point ANC ultimatum addressed to the authorities. The demands included the release of about a dozen Ter-Petrosyan loyalists remaining in prison, the conduct of an independent inquiry into the 2008 bloodshed and the sacking of several high-ranking state officials, including Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. “I think it is needless to explain that this is not just a political declaration, but a milestone-plan for the current pan-national struggle, which the members of the Congress and all participants of the massive events are obliged to follow, knowing that success is highly dependent on the discipline of our members and supporters. With that said, from this day forth, the rallies of the Armenian National Congress go from being political actions to a unique forum for social self-government with the full-fledged competency to make decisions and act,” stated Ter-Petrosyan. Among the demands were the release all political prisoners sentenced for their political views and activities, creation of an independent international commission to study the events of March 1 or reinstating the Fact-Finding Group by replenishing it with international experts and set the objective of fully revealing and punishing all the culprits of that monstrous crime, compensation for the material damage of all citizens who suffered from the events of March 1, fulfilling the indisputable verdict of the European Court and reinstate the activities of "A1+" television, putting an end to the authorities’ belligerent rhetoric and reinstate the previous format of negotiations in order to get the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution back on track. He also demanded that the government should dismiss Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, Head of the Central Bank Artur Javadyan, Head of the State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatryan, Mayor of Yerevan Karen Karapetyan, RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan, Head of the National Security Service Gorik Hakobyan, RA Chief of Police Alik Sargsyan, Head of the RA Special Investigative Service Andranik Mirzoyan and Head of the Penitentiary Department at the RA Ministry of Justice Hayk Harutyunyan for humiliating flaws in economic management and ensuring legality, There were also demands of social character, such as converting the minimum salary in Armenia to 200 dollars and the unemployment benefit to 50% of that and convert the average pension to 40% of the average salary, etc. “If the mentioned demands or a large part of them are fulfilled, the rally authorizes the Armenian National Congress to initiate practical dialogue with the authorities and place the special presidential and parliamentary elections as the only issue on the agenda in the upcoming months. As to how this declaration will proceed and what the authorities’ response will be, we will discuss that and give adequate conclusions during our next rally to be held on March 17,” he said. The opposition’s ultimatum presented to the Armenian authorities has angered the coalition parties and even Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan himself responded to those. When meetings the students the latter said that the demand of the resignation of the government is not a logical method of political competition and that the opposition constantly applies this method. He also added that the coalition is also competing for the people’s votes. They try to prove that they are the right political force and have the ability to carry on the responsibility of protecting the people’s votes. “Of course, our opponents should try to prove the opposite… I am sure that they will not succeed in that because the opinion of our people is very clear, visible and understandable to us,” said Sargsyan. We tried to find out what opinion President Serzh Sargsyan has about this ultimatum of the opposition but his press secretary Armen Arzumanyan yesterday didn’t wish to give any comments. The ARF MPs also didn’t wish to give commentaries regarding the ANC demands and the ultimatum. And the MPs of the Republican party and the Prosperous Armenia found the demands of the ANC ultimatum. Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly, Republican Samvel Nikoyan agrees that the opposition should issue ultimatums. "We have passed a bitter path and we do not want to experience that bitterness anew," he said. "Authorities are obliged to listen to public concerns, understand and solve them. This is an important ability that will ensure political security and strengthen the state," said Nikoyan. “If you want any positive change in your country, if your intentions are honest, you have to embark on constructive dialogue, rather than present ultimatums and deadlines to the authorities,” Nikoyan mentioned. “I think they themselves know very well that setting deadlines, talking with ultimatums is not the way to go and has nothing to do with dialogue,” he said. “The government should be able to listen to the concerns of the society; try to find out the actual challenges and washstand them. And if there are issues and the factors are objective they should sincerely explain those to the society. But to me the compensation for the victims of March 1 events, was not understandable. It is a limitless pain and I don’t think it can be compensated with certain amount of money. In that case, if somebody dies in the battlefield why don’t you demand compensation? You tell me the difference please,” says Nikoyan. Prosperous Armenia Party Secretary Aram Safaryan thinks that "the authorities have no right to speak to the authorities in the language of ultimatums." The atmosphere is tense in the country, people are full of expectations. On the eve of the presidential and parliamentary elections, we need to start a political dialogue and reach political consolidation in order to conduct fair elections, which are necessary not only for the world but also for Armenia," Aram Safaryan told A1+. "The opposition had better speak to the authorities in the constructive language as ultimatums are not welcomed. The events of the past 19 years showed that ultimatums lead to misfortunes and grieves. God forbid that our people suffer again. I am for a dialogue that will boost constructive atmosphere in the country," the PA representative said. Safaryan’s message was addressed to those who are concerned about the future of Armenia and feel responsible for the 2013 elections. "Can you suppose the consequences of confrontations if the sides did not attempt to forget their hostility?" he said. And the member of the Legal State faction Gagik Baghdasaryan finds it possible that the coalition forces may discuss the issues raised by the opposition. He also doesn’t exclude that certain issues may find their solutions. “All the issues should be seriously discussed and fully agree that some of them can be resolved,” says the MP.
