Yesterday rally of the ANC once again started on the rostrum of Matenadaran but ended in the Liberty Square. Despite the fact that days ago the city council of Yerevan denied licensing the ANC rally at the Liberty Square the police nonetheless allowed them to do so. The Opera building and the front square were surrounded by a considerable number of policemen. The whole police elite, except for the chief of police Alik Sargsyan, were in attendance. Well-known policemen Sashik Afyan, Aghasi Kirakosyan, Nerses Nazaryan, Robert Melkonyan were all at the rally. And of course Valeri Osipyan was there, who was constantly running around the mentioned officers. This time as well the rally summoned by the ANC was quite crowded just like the previous time. Yesterday the ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan didn’t make a speech from the rostrum of Matenadaran. He saved his speech to make at the Liberty Square. During the opposition’s March 1 rally we adopted a package of 15 demands. During the opposition’s rally on March 17, we singled out three major demands urging the authorities to release political prisoners, lift the ban on opposition’s rallies in Liberty Square and start investigation into the March 1, 2008 murders. He started responding to the accusations that ANC had monopolized the opposition field and that it’s necessary to establish a third force. “How could the ANC monopolize the opposition field -with the help of administrative resources, boundless finances, and information levers? Or should we have turned to foreign forces, intimidate our rivals and send them to prison? If the ANC has been able to take a dominant position amid escalating political persecution and pursuit, the reasons should be searched for elsewhere. Yes, today the ANC is a powerful force, capable of leading numerous people and rallying over 100,000 people. It means that at least 18 forces with aspirations to the third force can gather 100,000 people each. In reality, they want to reach their goal through damaging the reputation of the Congress instead of lasting and consistent work with the society. In fact, they pay by losing their own reputation. We expect the authorities to meet our three demands before the opposition’s next rally set for April 28. If they fail to meet the demands, ANC will be forced to drastically change its tactics. We are not imposing ultimatums but we want to warn that that our patience is not limitless. April 28 will either mark the start of a political dialogue or deepen the gap between the authorities and public.” Ter-Petrosyan also ridiculed his opposition critics’ case for the emergence of a “third force” that would act as an alternative to both the government and the ANC. He went on to allege that they may be “extremely worried” about the possibility of a dialogue between the two rival political camps and would rather prefer to see the jailed oppositionists “perpetually” remain behind bars. During the rally former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan, opposition leaders Stepan Demirchyan, Aram Sargsyan and others also made speeches. “Power change is possible in Armenia only through revolution,” said Hrant Bagratyan. In his speech he dwelt on the country’s socio-economic state focusing on gas tariffs."The authorities buy a cubic meter of gas at $180 and sell it to citizens for $480. The airplane ticket for Kiev-Simferopol costs 19 Euros. Kiev-Rome-Kiev flight costs 120 Euros. From Yerevan that kind of flight costs 500 Euros. In order to fly to Yerevan from Paris or London we pay 700-800 Euros because we have a monopoly. This monopoly was given to Misha Baghdasarov, the loyalist of Serzh Sargsyan. Robert gave the airport to an Argentinean-Armenian. If it’s monopoly why are the prices not fixed by a relevant committee? Resolve these problems and hundreds of thousands of people will visit Armenia and spend money. We are not here to make Misha Baghdasarov happy, are we?” says Bagratyan. "The entire state attacked the farmers. Give freedom to farmers instead. Give the irrigation system to the farmers in the form of shares and let them manage the system. They use the irrigation system, so let them set the water bills. Free farmers from officials! The country is shared by 10 people. If this continues, there will be no way out. Without change of government, the country will be torn apart by neighboring enemies," said Hrant Bagratyan and concluded, "Do not expect anything good. But soon everything will be alright. Just a little more time, friends." “Many of you are thinking for how much longer shall we gather here like this. But fellow citizens our goals are not minor. Only through unification we can reach our aim. We are struggling for the future of our children. And for this sacred aim we may gather a hundred or even a thousand times. The more people we have at these meetings the better chance we have for victory,” stated the head of Republic party Aram Sargsyan. “The regime’s policy of the recent three years has driven the country into a sorrowful plight," Leader of People’s Party of Armenia Stepan Demirtchyan said in his opening speech at the rally. Demirtchyan said that the regime has erred in all spheres and should resign office. The PPA underlined that the authorities do not realize the grave situation in the country, hence they do not meet opposition’s demands. "Our primary goal is to restore constitutional order in the country and elect legal authorities through fair elections," said Demirtchyan. ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan stated that the political spring of Armenia is entering a new phase. “Therefore we are requesting the people to focus their efforts on launching a civil intolerance campaign. And let nobody doubt our will and patience. This is going to be a pan-national movement,” concluded Zurabyan. The next rally will take place on April 28, which according to the first president should either be a beginning of dialog or ultimate separation of the society from the government.
