The opposition paid a visit to the Marzes of Kotayk and Gegharkunik yesterday with the orange colored flags and column of cars in order to carry out the “no” propaganda for the constitutional amendments. The oppositionists went around the cities of Abovyan and Hrazdan and the surrounding villages passing out booklets. They organized meetings in Sevan and Charentsavan.
There were nearly 2000 people gathered at the meeting in Sevan. According to one of the residents of Sevan, who chose to remain anonymous, the police had gone from block to block demanding the residents not to take part in the meeting. We tried to find out how informed the Sevan residents were about the constitutional amendments. Besides one or two people (who we later found out were members of the Armenian Republican Party’s Sevan regional branch and were going to vote “yes” based on that reason), the majority of the people we asked did not have any idea about what was stated in the constitutional amendments.
“I know nothing about it and don’t want to. I will go and vote “no”. What can you change by making amendments to the constitution? What we must change are the authorities so that we can improve living standards. How can I live on an 8,000 dram pension?” says resident of Sevan and pensioner Knarik Avetisyan. As for Armo Arakelyan, who has fought in the Karabagh war and is also unfamiliar with the constitutional amendments, he believes that the people living in the capital of Armenia must vote “no” and justify their decision in order to achieve something. “The citizens of the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, must fight against this referendum because after all, intellectuals, students are based in Yerevan-in other words, the cream of the nation. If they fight against it, vote “no”, then the referendum will fail. Otherwise what can we do?” said A. Arakelyan. The majority of Charentsavan residents also had no idea about the constitutional amendments. The police had closed all roads of the villages leading to Charentsavan and had forbidden people to come to the meeting with the opposition. Besides that, police officers had closed the roads leading to the square and we even witnessed some officers convincing people to go back to their homes. However, the workers of the municipality were following up on the meeting through the office windows. Former head of the Kotayk Marz based in Charentsavan and president of the Armenian Liberal Progressive Party Hovhannes Hovhannisyan recalled the time when he was head of the region and the construction of factories going on at the time. But according to him, the authorities are the ones to blame for the misery and poverty and the closing of factories, not the existing constitution. The rest of the opposition representatives were making speeches about the speech given by president Robert Kocharyan during a meeting with law students at the Yerevan State University a couple of days ago. President of the “New Times” political party Aram Karapetyan commented on Robert Kocharyan’s words when he said that the opposition is just wasting its time doing the same thing over and over again. “We are not wasting time and doing the same thing over and over. The authorities are the ones doing that and that’s why they are not helping Armenia get back on its feet.”
President of “Republic” political party Aram Z. Sargsyan called out to the police officers gathered and asked whether or not they felt bad that their commander-in-chief was making such absurd comments. “What is the leader of this country talking about since the first day in office? All he talks about is cleaning up, things that bother bad dancers, he remembers Karabagh, in other words, he is wasting time,” said leader of “Republic” political party. Robert Kocharyan also announced at the university that he will not resign and still continue his job as president even if the constitutional amendments don’t pass. “I don’t imagine any comment more lame than that,” said Aram Z. Sargsyan surprised. In his speech, Sargsyan tried explaining to Kocharyan what it meant if the constitutional amendments did not pass. If that happens, then nobody will trust the authorities anymore and Robert Kocharyan will be considered a “minority, alone and will have to resign quickly”. “The constitutional amendments referendum, as a political process, will be used against the existing regime and will do away with the authorities. You will all come to Yerevan on November 27 and that day will mark the end of the authorities,” said A. Sargsyan as he called on the people present. During the meeting yesterday, A. Sargsyan clarified one important thing. He confirmed Robert Kocharyan’s opinion that the opposition loves him and does not want the president to lose power. “Yes, the opposition loves the president, just not too much, not too much. Kocharyan used to say that it turns out that the coalition is his rival. But isn’t Artashes Geghamyan saying that we should do away with the coalition because they only want what’s bad for the president?,” said Sargsyan as he encouraged the people to do away with the coalition. In addition, the people gathered yesterday wanted to know why president of the Armenian Republican Party Stepan Demirchyan and leader of “National Unity” Artashes Geghamyan were not present at the meeting. In response to the people’s question, Aram Sargsyan replied that that doesn’t matter because the opposition is not split up. The opposition will join the “Justice” Alliance and “National Unity” in the last stage.