Aram Sargsyan: “The era of three presidents has to be over!”

The democratic party of Armenia is in opposition to the present power. Not for the first year it is headed by Aram Gasparovich Sargsyan – the person who is known in the republic not only as the skilled and basic politician, but also as the sharp publicist, the writer, the supporter of every possible rapprochement of Russia and Armenia.

Our conversation is about today's political situation in Armenia.

- Our party was created on the basis of Communist party of Armenia. I was its last first secretary. After the State Committee on the State of Emergency it was decided to change the party name – to Socialist. Not all agreed with changes, but all intellectuals were with me: our great poetess Silva Kaputikyan, academicians, Doctors of science … As a result, the Democratic Party was created - the Social Democratic Party according to the contents and manner. We are the party of social justice and therefore we are in opposition from the first days. Especially as any passers-by came to the power then: unprepared, not having the experience …

- After all it was very hard time.

- If to compare to other republics, it was the most difficult for us. We were in blockade and Azerbaijan started the war against Nagorno-Karabakh. The industry was stopped, there were no light, heat … All this led to very big outflow of the population from the country. For 2-3 years up to 600 thousand people left Armenia!

Our party had a high authority – we tried to press on the government that to keep though that part which Armenia had in Soviet period. But it didn't manage to be made because the authorities got under IMF influence from the first days. And there it was already declared that Armenia can't be the industrialized country – at the best it has to be the serving country.

In 1995 we became the initiators of association of opposition, won both parliamentary and the presidential elections, the results of which were forged. The regime of that time simply usurped the power, but it became the beginning of the end of president Ter-Petrosyan. It was clear to us that he won't keep long. And it occurred!

- Then the new leaders appeared in the country …

- Vazgen Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan came. We supported Kocharyan's candidacy on presidential elections. Though Karen Demirchyan took offense at me then, but we took this step absolutely consciously. Karen Seropovich was, of course, the outstanding person, but at that time he was in a shadow for 10 years though lived in Armenia, worked as the general director of “Armelectromash”. And after all in 1991 I told to him: “Come back!” He answered: “Forget Demirchyan; I don't go in for policy more”... And in 1996th we addressed to him too- with the same result …

After Robert Kocharyan's victory on elections I became his adviser for the international affairs. Soon it became clear that we have no divergences on international issues, but the cracks began to arise on internal questions: and the farther – the more deeply. As a result in a year I filed a resignation.

- Again to opposition?

- Kocharyan had absolutely liberal policy, the oligarchic system started being formed. We tried to unite the left forces, but they were too separate. For example, the Communist Party shared on some parts. By the way, our Democratic party is the only which never broke up for 20 years. But, as it wasn't succeeded to gather the left forces, we created the block of opposition forces under the name “Justice”. Really our candidate Stepan Demirchyan, the son of the killed Karen Seropovich Demirchyan during the act of terrorism in parliament, won the presidential elections.

I will say so that not the candidate won then, but association, the people! But this victory was taken away too. We had 15 mandates in parliament, worked actively, but couldn't resist to the push-button majority. But the national respect remained!

- What have changed when Serzh Sargsyan became the president?

- We didn't take part in presidential elections of 2008 as everything was obvious. Now not ideological programs are important on elections, but only money! This damn, alas, concerned all Post-Soviet republics. Actually after all there is no question of a choice any more– there is only technical procedure. Independently conceiving layer is insignificant – it is so narrow that practically doesn't influence an outcome of elections in any way. Nevertheless, we didn't leave the political arena, didn't become the extras – we defend our position.

- You wrote the article “Why it is the time to save Armenia”? Why is such name?

- The last five years the population outflow from Armenia proceeded. 170 thousand people left the homeland – for Armenia it is very big figure. And if we count the losses for 20 years, we will see that it is a real crash! Therefore, it is necessary to speak about the reasons of such phenomenon. I analysed the credit policy of the governments of the republic for 20 years - Armenia saved up already 4 billion dollars of a debt! For our country it is very large sum.

But if these credits would be used wisely… Here is the example: took the credit in 205 million dollars on structural reforms. It means that if you don’t know what to do, so the transatlantic uncle will come and will tell what to do … He will take one third of the credit as the fee! That is, any dollar didn't go to real economy – at the best on repair of roads … There is no matter about any development! If to continue further in the same spirit – it means finally to ruin Armenia.

- But your opponents say that the main thing is the stability.

- And on a cemetery there is stability too! Outflow of the population doesn't stop – here is the answer to such stability! The person can't find work, consider himself protected, doesn't see prospect and is it stability? What is the sense in it?!
The power sees all this, of course, it speaks about it, but here is the trouble – it can't step on own tail! After all as it is the founder and a product of this system. Real reforms are necessary that not the shadow sector defined a course of events. The power has to bring out of a shadow not the poor shopkeepers, but oligarchs who don't pay enormous money in treasury. It is necessary to save the treasury from theft.

- Very soon the presidential elections come. How do you estimate a situation?

- Incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan will be the major candidate to this post. I made recently the statement that the era of three presidents in Armenia has to come to the end: the sooner the better. It regardless of how I treat the incumbent president. It is simply obvious that this era gave us merging of the shadow capital and the power, corruption, etc. It needs to be changed!

After all why there were conversations on possible return of ex-president Robert Kocharyan? And the matter is that the system didn't change and it is his brainchild too. The same Levon Ter- Petrosyan has big desire to return … It would be easy for them get on and continue that yet didn't complete in this system.

One more important thing: after all nobody told something to them when they left. Nobody gave them an assessment: political, legal, moral – any in general! The procedure took place and it seems as forgot … But the people didn't forget! Also it is very important factor!

As for other candidates, I will tell that there was a bargaining. Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of Prospering Armenia party, the owner of such business and the capital, had to think, whether he should go on elections? And if he would go on a rigid antagonism with the power and will lose, then he will lose everything … Was it worth risking?

- It is difficult to deal with a position of “Prospering Armenia” …

- It is not easy to make it as they don't position themselves in any way. Tsarukyan is the representative of large capital according to measures of Armenia. He will protect the interests of oligarchs all the same. Will give any remains to the people and that would be delighted that something came from a lordly shoulder, will support him…

- Who will oppose then to Serge Sargsyan?

- Nobody! I think that they already agreed. In any case it seems to me that won’t be any special competition… Probably, someone already managed to get any positions. Not in vain our prime minister suddenly started talking that the positions of Deputy Prime Ministers are very necessary in the government.

- Is the subject of frauds actual today in Armenia on elections?

I don't think so. The power uses now other technologies. Therefore there was no any special wave of protests after parliamentary elections.

No fair elections can be at operating system. We hurried with so-called democracy! For what the wisdom is necessary to the head? In order to consider everything at decision-making. If you took to run the country, so count all variants! Otherwise, the country will appear in such dense condition that any forces can help to remove it from there.

We have to create the institutes of civil society and make it not from dictation of the western funds and grants, but using own methods. After all the system of the western grants works to this day: here is Soros and a lot of still what – all under the sauce of protection of human rights, certainly. They decompose our society and it is obvious! Also there are people who are the fifth column in this regard. Let's add the sectarian organizations to it … There are different signboards, but an essence is one!

- Do these organizations try to affect somehow the Armenian-Russian relations?

- Certainly, without any doubt. There are those who say that we have to go only on the western way and that we have one road – in the European Union. All this is pure demagogy! And those who advance such installations, have both money and resources. They try to break unity of the Armenian people – so it is much easier to work. But we resisted to it always and we will resist!