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Armenia’s Radical Opposition On Its Way to Self-Destruction • MassisPost

Last week, the President of the Republic of Armenia Armen Sarkissian invited the main players in the political arena, the Prime Minister, the leaders of the parliamentary factions, and the representatives of the “Homeland Salvation Movement”, to meet at the Presidential Palace to try to find mutually agreeable solutions to the country’s ongoing internal crisis.

The parliamentary opposition, “Bright Armenia” and the ruling “My Step” parliamentary faction immediately accepted the invitation for the meeting, but the radical opposition put forward a list of preconditions, thwarting the President’s initiative, which could have been the beginning of a constructive dialogue between the parties. Among the conditions presented was the discussion of the resignation of the Prime Minister, the formation of an interim government, and the early parliamentary elections. They also demanded that the meetings be held at the National Assembly and be broadcast live.

It was clear to everyone that the first three items would have been under discussion, one way or the other, and there was no need to present them as a precondition. As for the demand for live broadcasts, it showed that the opposition lacked seriousness, so much so that they were willing to turn the discussions into a public circus, where the dominant factor would have been not the dialogue, but arguments and mutual accusations, which could never lead to any positive results.

The only goal of the opposition is to seize the levers of power without having the main prerequisite to achieve it, which is the support of the people. This reality is becoming more and more apparent to everyone except the leaders of the opposition, who do not want to learn the lessons of the failed course of their five-month-old street protests where the number of their supporters is dwindling by the day and public opinion polls are showing a bleak picture for the opposition.

A poll recently published by the International Republican Institute, an American organization surveyed the approval ratings of the main players on the Armenian political spectrum. 33% of respondents indicated that they would vote for the ruling Civil Contract Party if the elections were held today, 3% answered that they will choose Prosperous Armenia Party, 2% former President Robert Kocharian. The Republican Party and the Dashnaktsutyun received one percent each. With such indicators, it is not surprising that the opposition is avoiding early elections and attempting to take power before such a vote takes place so that it can control the outcome of the next elections.

The consensus is building among other political parties and the public at large, toward the need for snap elections to overcome the current crisis. The government is obligated to move forward with plans to hold the elections as soon as possible regardless of what the radical opposition thinks, and it is up to them to decide whether or not to participate. Parties with one or two percent support should not be allowed to impose their will on the entire political sphere and the country. Since this op-ed appeared in Armenian, Prime Minister Nigol Pashinyan announced that early elections will be held on June 20th.

By rejecting the President’s invitation, the movement uniting the 17 opposition parties once again has shown that it is not at all concerned about the well-being of the country, its stability, or overcoming the consequences of the war. For its failed campaign to topple the current government the radical opposition blames the army for not joining their movement at the cost of violating the Constitution, it blames the President of the Republic for not moving according to their wishes, and often it criticizes the public, who, realizing their essence and goals from day one, refused to follow their movement. To find the real culprit of their failures, the opposition must first look in the mirror.

During the last few months, the radical opposition with its actions, rhetoric, and slogans, drove large segments of the society away and chose the path of self-destruction. By continuing in this same direction it has condemned itself to remain a marginal force that has become a hostage to the myths of its own creation.

“MASSIS”


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