Sociologist: Armenian national congress bluffing
11.08.2011,
00:55
Aharon Adibekyan, director of Sociometer center for sociological studies, views the threats the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) addresses to Armenian authorities as bluff.
YEREVAN, August 10. /ARKA/. Aharon Adibekyan, director of Sociometer center for sociological studies, views the threats the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) addresses to Armenian authorities as bluff.
Early parliamentary elections are among the congress’ demands. The country’s authorities see no grounds for announcing early elections.
The ANC leaders have repeatedly stated that if negotiation with the ruling opposition produces no results, the opposition will resort to radical steps.
“The deadline set by the ANC is nothing more than a mere bluff,” the sociologist said on Tuesday. “They are nursing a hope that they will manage to intimidate the authorities and force them to resign.”
Adibekyan thinks their attempts will produce no effect. He said it is not so easy to intimidate President Serzh Sargsyan, who fought in Karabakh War.
He is convinced that the congress has no sufficient resources to persuade people to take to the streets.
“The Congress is maneuvering in an attempt to attract votes of both liberal and radical electorates,” Adibekyan said. “However, if the ANC fails to achieve its goal soon and force the country’s leadership to hold early elections, it will lose everything and melt away from political arena.”
At the same time, the sociologist stressed that the Congress’ efforts have produced some results – a civilized dialogue between the authorities and the opposition has been established. Such a thing never was seen in Armenia before that.
A day earlier, the sides’ representatives met for the fourth time to discuss 85-page document with arguments of reasonability of early parliamentary and presidential elections.
David Harutunyan, head of the ruling coalition’s delegation, opposed these arguments saying that the coalition will voice its stance on the opposition’s proposal on next Tuesday.
The next regular parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 2012, and presidential election for February 2013.
The ruling coalition member parties are Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir.
Armenian National Congress was established in August, 2008. It consists of 20 political parties and organizations. -0--
Early parliamentary elections are among the congress’ demands. The country’s authorities see no grounds for announcing early elections.
The ANC leaders have repeatedly stated that if negotiation with the ruling opposition produces no results, the opposition will resort to radical steps.
“The deadline set by the ANC is nothing more than a mere bluff,” the sociologist said on Tuesday. “They are nursing a hope that they will manage to intimidate the authorities and force them to resign.”
Adibekyan thinks their attempts will produce no effect. He said it is not so easy to intimidate President Serzh Sargsyan, who fought in Karabakh War.
He is convinced that the congress has no sufficient resources to persuade people to take to the streets.
“The Congress is maneuvering in an attempt to attract votes of both liberal and radical electorates,” Adibekyan said. “However, if the ANC fails to achieve its goal soon and force the country’s leadership to hold early elections, it will lose everything and melt away from political arena.”
At the same time, the sociologist stressed that the Congress’ efforts have produced some results – a civilized dialogue between the authorities and the opposition has been established. Such a thing never was seen in Armenia before that.
A day earlier, the sides’ representatives met for the fourth time to discuss 85-page document with arguments of reasonability of early parliamentary and presidential elections.
David Harutunyan, head of the ruling coalition’s delegation, opposed these arguments saying that the coalition will voice its stance on the opposition’s proposal on next Tuesday.
The next regular parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 2012, and presidential election for February 2013.
The ruling coalition member parties are Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir.
Armenian National Congress was established in August, 2008. It consists of 20 political parties and organizations. -0--
