Armenia: ...when the ‘victory’ against transport fare hikes is good news for the authorities

My first comment about the protest action against transport fare hikes in Yerevan was on Twitter on 20th July:

Re transport price hike in #Yerevan - I wonder if genuine anger was encouraged by #Armenia authorities to distract, solve internal conflicts 

I didn’t comment much afterwards. I could see genuine passion of civic activists and non-activists, ordinary people, who were united for a purpose. What I liked the most re anti-fare-hikes civic action: people stepping up to offer free transportation for those in need.

When you then suddenly see most of pro-regime media, ‘stars’, personalities etc. in support of the action, you realise a relatively safe bet is in place here. The support and encouragement from pro-regime forces was so blatant that at times overwhelming. It was in line with what some high level officials wanted. To deal with their internal conflicts over the control and influences. Presidential administration, PM, government, Taron the mayor, ‘chorni Gago’ the minister, other oligarchs or so called owners of these transport lines...

When I heard today Armenia PM effectively supporting civic protests against transport fare hikes, followed by “suspension” of fare hikes, I could not help myself but go back to my earlier tweet.

I don't want to break the heart of activists, ordinary people who genuinely acted against unreasonable and unjustified increase in transport fare. After all the failures when it comes to bigger, REAL problems, e.g. inability to change the ruling regime via election, these small victories give hope to people and motivate them. This is a good and positive factor in itself, indeed.

Unfortunately, you do not see much similar examples when it comes to politically motivated arrests, dependent courts, corruption, protection of rights and freedom. If only such passion and unity occurs and directed to the root cause of problems...

Unfortunately, the ‘victory’ today was a victory against consequence not the cause... This is exactly what the authorities want. Concentrate on secondary things, get distracted from the root causes of the problem(s). Good news for the authorities, after all.

Armenia PM: the end of cool

I have a confession to make. When Tigran Sargsyan was appointed PM, I was pleased as he was the most intelligent, well educated, seemingly pro-Western person in the cabinet. And he had a good taste in number of things. Ocean apart from the likes of Galust Sahakyan & co that ruling Republican party is so full of.

I am not going to provide a critical review of his years as head of the government. He looks pretty organic when he plays the music. He looks pretty awkward and out of place when he tries playing ‘macho’ (example).

Unfortunately, he will be remembered most as a PM who turned church related mourning days into national holidays.

Needless to say that being a VIP member of the Republican party whose ideology (if I may use such term in relation to this group) is out of touch with contemporary realities (to put it mildly) is in itself tarnishing the reputation. They are the epitome of uncool and impede Armenia’s moving forward, despite the very slogan they adopted.

What happened to the cool PM I once hoped for (example)? Nothing has left of that image.

Exposed: racism and 'blood purity' part of ideology of Armenia ruling Republican party?

Thanks to a Facebook friend of mine, I did something I have never done before (or never had any desire whatsoever to do). I looked at the library of ideological publications produced by Armenia's ruling Republican party. In particular, one ‘fundamental’ and pretty 'mind-blowing’ publication. Trust me, that was more than enough for me. What I read there is disgusting, and believe you me, "disgusting" is an understatement.

It's a publication about ‘foundations’ of Armenian family and gender roles (published by Republican party in 2002 and available under the “library” section of their official website).

It uses N-word to refer to black people and 'justifies' the notion of 'purity of blood' calling for no mixed marriages in order to preserve... yes, that very same 'purity of blood' + more racist rant. I am not even going further into their 'defining' of gender roles etc. If this is not a Nazi and racist ideology, then what is it?

For a country with European inclination, or in fact for any country, this is an appalling display of what should have no place in modern world, let alone as part of the ideology of ruling party.  I wonder if Armenia president and PM, as party leaders, are aware of these ideological 'pearls' and whether they share what is supposedly part of their own party ideology? Either they should immediately ditch them from their 'library' and distance themselves from what was expressed in this and similar party publications or people associated with the Republican party risk putting shame on themselves and on Armenia's reputation.

Just to illustrate the point, below are only few extracts from the “Armenian Family” (“ՀԱՅ ԸՆՏԱՆԻՔ” - AM) publication (Republican Party of Armenia, Yerevan 2002):

Երբ մի քանի տարի առաջ ժառանգաբան Նվարդ Քոչարին հարցրեցինք, թե արդյոք ինքը համաձայն կլիներ, որ հայը, օրինակ, նեգրի հետ ամուսնանար, նա պատասխանեց.

- Եթե ընտրեց, ամուսնացավ, այո, համաձայն եմ: Կարեւորը որ նա հայկական միջավայրում ապրի եւ հայանա: Ինչ վատ կլինի, եթե նեգրի երաժշտականությունը, ռիթմի զգացողությունը ներմուծվի:

Թե ինչպես պիտի նեգրը հայանա, նույնիսկ երեւակայությունը թույլ չի տալիս պատկերացնել: Իսկ որ հայերս երաժշտականության բնածին պակաս ունենք եւ ստիպված պիտի ուրիշից ներմուծենք, շատ անլուրջ է:

Ներկայումս խառնազգի ամուսնությունները մեզանում (լինի Հայրենիքում, թե Սփյուռքում) առավելապես կատարվում են հաշվենկատորեն, երբ, բարեկեցիկ կյանքի ակնկալիքով, շատ հայեր “ամուսնանում” են եվրոպացիների, ամերիկացիների, արդեն` նաեւ պարսիկների, արաբների հետ:

Արյունախառնության կողմնակիցները գտնում են, որ իբր խաչասերումից առաջացած սերունդն ավելի ոժեղ և խելոք է լինում: Դժվար թե: [...] օրինակ, մուլատների մոտ ակնհայտ են մտավոր պակասությունները:

Re: Armenia PM’s “Rock Association”

I like that Armenia PM Tigran Sargsyan loves rock music. I like that he blogs about it. But “Rock Association”? Rock should be free, if it is rock, and not a court rock. Rock should not be part of “association” with the head of government, regardless of PM’s - however good or honest - intentions. Meeting with rockers over drinks or something, listening music, discussing stuff... THAT I would understand and quite like to see. But seating on a stage, on a very different level than the rockers seat (picture below, via 517design), this is a big NO. Also, the ‘dress-code’ of quite a few of the rockers in the audience doesn’t not provide with much reasons for optimism (not to mention that I spotted one particular musician there). This is not rock. This is rock-control.

Armenia PM Tigran Sargsyan: Quotes of The Day

Excellent quotes. But... What we need now is to see these quotes transformed into reality.

RFE/RL: Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian bemoaned Armenia’s culture of political intolerance on Thursday, warning that failure to “radically change this atmosphere” could lead to fresh politically motivated assassinations in the country. [...]

“It is the government and the authorities that are primarily responsible for the formation of an atmosphere of solidarity and cooperation for the simple reason that we have serious state levers to form that atmosphere,” he told ministers. “We must be tolerant. We must not burn bridges of cooperation,” added the prime minister.

Sarkisian did not specify just how the Armenian authorities should go about ending their year-long standoff with the country’s main opposition alliance led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosian. He recalled that he himself was a “representative of the radical opposition” during Ter-Petrosian’s presidency.

“I consider myself guilty of many things and I ask our political opponents to forgive our mistakes, my personal mistakes,” he said without elaboration. [...]

Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan writes…

I must confess, other than glancing, I did not have time to read prime minister’s articles, but what a titles, eh?

The End of the State
How to make a revolution happen?!
Challenges of the 21st century

They are available on government’s website:
http://www.gov.am/en/articles

“If we want to build a bright future we must learn to dream!!!” – says Tigran Sargsyan as a conclusion to his article “Challenges of the 21st century”. I am all dreams, prime minister!

Two Armenian deputy ministers "disciplined for assault"

While I like the fact that on this particular occasion prime minister’s reaction was that in a right direction, I do believe that involvement of state officials in assault makes their positions untenable. They have to go. We had number of similar incidents in past. They do get repeated because officials involved consider themselves to be above the law and their seats "protected".

*RFE/RL

Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian issued on Thursday a “strict reprimand” to two Armenian deputy ministers of health who reportedly assaulted and beat up two other men at a Yerevan restaurant late last month.

The officials, Tatul Hakobian and Abraham Manukian, were put under a criminal investigation earlier this month. The Special Investigative Service (SIS), a law-enforcement body conducting the investigation, has not formally charged them yet.

The opposition daily “Haykakan Zhamanak” reported on January 16 that the incident occurred as the two officials partied at the Mexican restaurant with a group of friends and loudly swore in the process, ignoring the presence of other patrons. It said one of them, former Energy Minister Mels Hakobian, protested against the use of foul language.

“The deputy ministers were angered by Hakobian’s warning and together with about a dozen friends severely beat not only Hakobian but his son-in-law,” claimed the paper. “The latter was taken to hospital with injuries.”

The SIS, which is subordinated to state prosecutors, said on Thursday it opened a criminal case in connection with the incident on January 2, two weeks before the publication of the “Haykakan Zhamanak” report. In a written statement sent to RFE/RL, the SIS implicated only one of the deputy ministers, Manukian, in the beating.

The statement said Manukian, his son and several other men assaulted Hakobian and two other persons outside the restaurant with “hooligan motives.” “The investigation is continuing, and measures are being taken to clarify all details of the incident,” it added.

Sarkisian condemned both vice-ministers for their “unacceptable conduct in a public place” as he chaired a weekly session of his cabinet earlier in the day. “Unfortunately, this phenomenon still exists in the Republic of Armenia,” said the prime minister. “I receive complaints from our citizens that many officials abuse their position and don’t realize that they occupy that position to serve the people, rather than use it for their personal interests.

“We will soon adopt an ethics code and the norms set by that code will apply to everyone. Those state servants who can’t imagine themselves acting within the bounds of those norms will have to resign.”

Armenia: speaker of parliament and prime minister quarrelled over the “mouse”?

I have no idea if this story is true, but love it nevertheless.

Reports say that relations between speaker of Armenian parliament Hovik Abrahamyan and prime minister Tigran Sargsyan are rather strained. Allegedly, at one of New Year events, a middle-level civil servant of the prime minister office, in the presence of prime minister Tigran Sargsyan himself, said that "the year of mouse ended, it’s now time to get rid of mice." (speaker of Armenian parliament Hovik Abrahamyan is known for his nickname “mouse”)

This was overheard by one of Hovik Abrahamyan’s people and immediately reported back to the speaker. He later demanded from the prime minister to dismiss that employee. Speaker’s demand was swiftly rejected by prime minister, as per pro-opposition Haykakan Zhamanak daily.

World’s financial crisis: How to survive Armenia’s economy?

I remember, after the first signs of the crisis, Armenian officials were quick to deny any dramatic impact of it on Armenia. However, with each passing week, the potential impact of the crisis was becoming so apparent, that tone of the government officials changed, and they started mentioning the possibility of economic downturn in Armenia as a result of the world crisis. Knowing local mentality, I can safely predict that from now on whatever bad happens in Armenian financial-economic field would be blamed on the world crisis. Partly, it would be true, but only partly. There are ways to diminish its impact however. But it requires proper crisis management with a scope of preventive actions. Policy Forum Armenia independent think-tank produced report on Implications of the World’s Financial Crisis for Armenia’s Economy.

We all know that in case of health problems, it’s much more efficient to prevent the disease than to treat it. So is with the economy. Report warns that “recent developments in emerging markets suggest that the crisis-related deterioration of the economic outlook is likely to occur abruptly with little (if any) signs of early warning”. Based on the analyses of specifics of Armenia’s economy and global trends, Policy Forum Armenia offers recommendations on essential “pre-emptive policy response and crisis preparedness efforts”.

Some of the main dangers to Armenian economy may come from: “(1) slowdown in remittances flows, (2) reduction in trade and investment, (3) problems originating from the financial sector, and (4) reduction in official assistance.”

While mentioning “capable Prime Minister”, the report is less convinced with the “relevant agencies—the Central Bank and line ministries” which “have limited capacity and experience to address the potential risks” and questionable coordination between each other and the cabinet.

One of the main recommendations by the Policy Forum Armenia is to establish a Crisis Prevention Team (CPT) “as a high-level policy advisory body to the government. Reporting directly to the Prime Minister, the CPT should consist of economists and financial sector professionals with strong reputation and experience in dealing with crisis countries. To be seen as credible it should include Diaspora and also possibly non-Armenian professionals and should be nonpartisan.”

Full report is available here

PM Sargsyan (informal): guitar, film…

Alkhimik and 517design share their impressions (in Russian) and photos following an informal meeting at friend’s house with Armenian prime minister Tigran Sargsyan.

Apparently, PM’s recent favourite film is Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring by Korean art-house director Kim Ki-duk. Among his favourite authors - Abraham Maslow. And he plays guitar.

Armenia: 'macho' PM

... or shall I say PR, PR till the end?! It seems that our PM's PR machine is working at its full force. This particular news item apparently aimed at toughening PM Tigran Sargsyan image to accommodate our macho loving society preferences.

Armenian Prime Minister hit the "top ten" in the shooting on target

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has demonstrated "excellent results" in the shooting on target. According to the "Novosti-Armenia", head of the Armenian Government hit the "top ten", shooting from a pistol "Beretta".

Unsurprisingly, "excellent sniper ability" were demonstrated by Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, who hit the "top ten" too, using 12.7 mm calibre sniper rifle "Black Arrow".

Armenian PM, accompanied by Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan and other members of the government, was visiting our troops and military positions along the North-East borders on 12 July, Saturday.

*photo - via Aravot daily

PM Tigran Sargsyan: 'Armenian soldiers should have the opportunity to study, including use of computers'

Armenian army soldiers should not be separated from the public life, and the first task in this respect is to establish necessary conditions allowing soldiers to continue with their studies, believes prime minister Tigran Sargsyan (ARKA).

"In two years they must return to civilian life and be able to get into universities; that’s why together with the defence minister, we set the task to create conditions so that every soldier in the service had the opportunity to study, including use of computers", PM Sargsyan says. According to him, this will decrease the gap between school graduates and demobilized soldiers, allowing them to be admitted to the universities. "This is an extremely important task, therefore, military units must have special auditoriums for studying."

I am not sure how technically and practically would be possible to organise this, but if PM's quote turns into real, it would be a good contribution to the education field in Armenia and improving morale in Armenian army.

To ensure that this sort of positive changes could happen, more fundamental transformations need to occur in our army. For now, I can’t picture an auditorium within the army units where soldiers would go to study without being mocked by others. For now, this sounds more like a wishful thinking than reality any time soon.

Opposition "Chorrord Ishkhanutyun" newspaper must stop using homophobic references in its attacks on Armenia PM Tigran Sargsyan

Around and immediately after his appointment, I read here and there occasional comments attacking newly appointed PM Tigran Sargsyan with homophobic references for his presumed or perceived homosexuality. I do not care whether our newly appointed PM is gay or not. What I do care is no one has the right to attack others for their sexual orientation, perceived or real. Totally unacceptable tactic, from whatever side it comes. And very, very cheap, aimed at the lowest possible instincts among ‘ordinary’ citizens taking into account widespread homophobia in our society. Ironically, homophobic references and bigotry are becoming a favoured mean for some within the both sides of Armenia’s current political stand-off to make an attention grabbing headlines. This can only be a sign of lack of proper arguments and sensationalism preferred by some, be that individual, blogger, established politician or newspaper.

I was wondering where this ‘gay storyline’ came from. Publications by the opposition “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” newspaper (CHI) made things clearer (reader of my blogs pointed me out to this). I suppose that its role played also non-macho (cliché) image of PM Tigran Sargsyan.

So what’s the buzz all about?

For details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

Unless CHI stops these cheap tactics and campaign, it risks losing any credibility and joining a growing list of potentially boycotted enterprises, with a very clear “yellow” colour sticking on it. I hope that ordinary to higher level opposition representatives who have influence on this newspaper will pass this message to the CHI. Nothing could be more damaging to the opposition movement than having bigotry associated with it.

*photo - via RFE/RL