The elections have already been rigged; the foundation is dirty — Arbak Khachatryan

First Informational’s interviewee is expert Arbak Khachatryan.

— Mr Khachatryan, the parliamentary election campaign has begun in Armenia. Following events, do you think hopes for real change can be placed in any of the political forces standing for election?

— Frankly, I am not closely familiar with the political forces’ programmes and approaches. I am more concerned with how these processes will affect Armenia’s foreign policy. I am sceptical that the elections can have a positive outcome. What matters today is who can sit down and defend Armenia’s interests in the outside world, and today I see no such figure. We cannot put all our hopes in one country and say that it will protect us, yet that is what people in Armenia are doing. The elections have already been rigged; the foundation is already dirty.

They have made enormous sums from a hungry country and today distribute that money to the people as bribes, forcing them to vote for them. The most dangerous thing is that almost all figures and political forces are chained to the outside world, and even if they want to do something good, they will be unable to: the chains will get in their way. That is, even with a great desire, they will be unable to do it. It is not that everyone is bad; their dependence simply will not allow it. The situation today is tremendously difficult, and these internal elections give me no hope.

The forces standing can fight one another, but they cannot fight for Armenia. Fifteen years ago the situation was completely different, whereas today, absurdly, Armenians are fleeing to live in Georgia. Over 15–20 years they instilled in the people a mentality in which money is what matters most.

— Do you think money will decide the result in these elections too? Or have people understood that for 10,000 drams they cannot survive another five years under these authorities?

— I think so, because no alternative is being offered. If people have already become sick of taking money, then logically they should not vote for the authorities and should oppose the system. But the question arises: whom should they vote for? Does that force exist? Was it created over these years? I think not. The people have seen only plunder and politicians who deceive them, so there is no trust in any political force. The people do not realise that they are citizens of that state, and today they do not see an opposition force they can fight for. And the opposition that went beyond the limits of what was permitted in Armenia was arrested.

— So you think no real alternative political force to the authorities was created?

— No, there definitely is none. I am convinced there are many people who, although they have made mistakes, could have worked if they had not been chained. In other words, there are people who will be unable to cross the line even if they want to.

— Mr Khachatryan, the Republican Party of Armenia has made Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan its election brand, although a residency-related problem meant he was not included on the list. Do you think the public will trust the RPA again, taking the prime minister into account?

— First of all, I find the fact that the prime minister was not registered laughable. I do not think it would have been a major problem for the RPA; besides, the law itself is absurd. Other principles should guide candidate registration. Today a president has signed a law on permanent residence, but precisely because of their policies, thousands of people are now abroad, do not even have citizenship and cannot vote. The issue is not just the prime minister but that whole approach and the absurd laws. The prime minister was not registered simply to serve steps that suit them; they cite the law as their justification and think people believe they are extremely law-abiding.

As for specifically advertising through the prime minister, I would like the prime minister to use the RPA, rather than the reverse. That is my wish.

— After negotiating an Association Agreement with the European Union for 3.5 years, Armenia decided overnight to join the Customs Union. Now negotiations with the European Union have again been completed, and a less far-reaching document is expected to be signed in May—in effect, after the parliamentary elections. Do you think Moscow will allow it this time?

— I would not like to go back and talk again about Armenia’s decision of 3 September. But at the time there was still strength to show and to fight with, whereas today that internal strength does not exist. There is no force that can represent Armenia with dignity.

As for this particular document, I would note that it could be used in the opposite direction. Any document today can be used against Russia, and it is very possible that it will be thwarted. In 2013 Russia made an enormous mistake by humiliating Armenia so much. Armenia now has no position in the international arena, and that is the most dangerous circumstance. We take pride in our prominent people, but those people are prominent only because they earn enormous sums abroad and make speeches in international forums.

— What effect do you think the coming election results will have on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict? In effect, there is the authorities’ official approach, Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s supporting position, and no alternative on this issue.

— I would not like to discuss the Karabakh conflict today; I have spoken a great deal about it. The Karabakh issue today depends entirely on international relations, because we have lost the internal capabilities we had even under Levon Ter-Petrosyan himself. We could have dictated terms, whereas today the positions have completely changed. Simply frightening the world by saying we are ready to fight and win is absurd, a road leading nowhere. That is not how a country’s leader speaks; it is not an approach.

— So we cannot expect an imminent resolution to this issue?

— No. And especially, nothing depends on the election’s outcome. That is my opinion. I do not see a resolution in the near future. Until Armenia and Azerbaijan enter negotiations together, it will not happen. Only direct negotiations are needed.

— With Karabakh participating too?

— Karabakh is the principal party. Armenia is Karabakh’s defender, but no negotiations can take place without Karabakh’s opinion.