Stepan Safaryan: The name “Heritage” will lack in the Parliament…
“The country is passing on to the Parliamentary system, Election Code has changed as well, which has rather raised the possibility of recording success during the elections, if one doesn’t have rather big resources and opportunities,” Stepan Safaryan, founder and head of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs (AIISA), political scientist, told 168.am.
According to him political powers, which have rather weakened, realize that it’s necessary to unite the powers to record if not rather big, at least minor success. He noted that we have already edified creation of one alliance—“Yelq.”
“This alliance seems to submit a serious alternative to the policy pursued by the authorities, as in the declaration they signed rather interesting approaches were found regarding state model change, foreign policy and other issues. The second pole, which is being developed, seems to have more pro-Russian orientation. It’s the pole of Seyran Ohanyan, Vartan Oskanian and others. This is a pole, which can’t introduce a serious alternative in pursuing policy, as its crucial actors have been among the authorities and foreign policy concepts adopted by them have been maintained. There is another field as well, which is in uncertainty: it refers to PAP and Gagik Tsarukyan’s return. No matter how much its possibility is being stated, Gagik Tsarukyan’s return isn’t being shaped, however, this pole can’t be regarded as an alternative again out of the reasons I mentioned above,” S.Safaryan said.
It should be noted, that “Hertiage” party can’t yet clarify the format of its participation in the elections. Armen Martirosyan, Deputy of the National Assembly by proportional electoral system from the Heritage party, didn’t exclude cooperation with Vartan Oskanian and Seyran Ohanyan, stating that Vartan Oskanian didn’t “give the command to shoot” on March 1. Meanwhile same party member, MP Zaruhi Postanjyan said, ““Heritage” party will make an alliance with former FM Vartan Oskanian and former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan only in one case—if they accept their guilt of March 1 and stand before the court after the elections.”
As a former “Heritage” party member, S.Safaryan said he is sorry for these occurrence in the party, moreover, amid people, with whom they used to be a team.
“However, this shows what the party clashes with, when it “derails,” loses its place, function in the political field. As a result, “Heritage” has lost the perfect image it used to have, it didn’t implement the function, which no any other party in the political field was implementing better, the result would be maintenance of its place in the Parliament on the threshold of elections,” he said.
According to S.Safaryan Z.Postanjyan is correct regarding arguments, as yet from 2008 “Heritage” party has set criteria for March 1, Karabakh issue, EEU, EU integration, and it’s an issue uniting with a party, which isn’t on that line, “How many cents would cost the regime change, if we substitute these authorities, loyal to Russia, with another loyal one and real changes won’t be recorded in the foreign policy? Particularly approaches of comprising a part of that alliance are obviously reasoned by regime change only.”
At the same time, S.Safaryan doesn’t consider that conditions of Z.Postanjyan may be satisfied, “I hardly imagine that Vartan Oskanian and Seyran Ohanyan may confess by Zaruhi’s demand, in particular, when they were crucial actors in March 1 activities, also they bore responsibility for country’s foreign and domestic policies in different periods.
Unfortunately, the two exits “Heritage” has are not among the best: in case of acting alone chances are very little, and in case of acting with an alliance “Heritage” is being dissolved, and at best it may have 1-2 seats and not more, naturally, the name “Heritage” will lack in the Parliament. Both ways “Heritage” has left to itself throughout these years by serving other agendas, rather than its own, unfortunately, are these two options.”
To the question whether party head Raffi Hovhannisyan’s position is closer to that of Armen Martirosyan or Zaruhi Postanjyan, S.Safaryan replied, “I can’t say, however, judging from the statements made both by Armen Martirosyan and Zaruhi Postanjyan, I have the impression, that seemingly Raffi Hovhannisyan has supported the line introduced by Armen Martirosyan. I don’t know how the issue will be solved, for the time being, I have the impression that there is already a flame of fire inside the party before the campaign is launched.”
By Ani Keshishyan
