Countering The complete List of arguments offered by Extra-parliamentary forces

Time for Extra-parliamentary forces to make one final participation in these sessions, to demand the resignation of the prime minister, and withdraw from these sessions

Countering the arguments offered by these forces one by one

Best final Advice that Extra-parliamentary forces can offer the prime minister

I have spotted several Armenian political parties, who carry a lot of national and beautiful ideological platforms inside the republic of Armenia, ideologies that deserved to enter the Armenian National Assembly through these parties

But the fact that none of them entered the parliament, and only 4 or 5 parties have entered the parliament, indicates that the citizens of the republic of Armenia, are still far away to have absorbed such ideologies, where the factors of financial influence, populism, demagogue, emotional superficial approach, the influence of state tools who work in favor of the ruling party, are dominant

I will not discuss claims that the votes are subject to fraud, I discuss what I have in my hands as facts and analysis, but I say that in implementation the Armenian democracy does not work efficiently, I seem to be under the impression that the results are technically the results of a democratic process, but far from being ideal, based on political awareness

I felt quite disappointed that such forces chose to demonstrate their presence in the Armenian political scene through a forum that, I am totally convinced, is merely a formality, nothing beyond

I think these forces, by joining and still participating in the so called format, the “Forces outside the parliament” have made several mistakes, and for several reasons

I have tried to understand their approach, some of the parties leaderships, parties that I have years of positive ties and relations with, parties that I worked together for years, their leadership simply chose to ignore my questions, yet I have heard from their second class leadership, the same justification from other parties top leaderships

Several parties justify tis participation by these almost identical arguments

-We are participating, not as forces loyal to the current authorities, but as an opposition, the only difference is that we do not express our criticism and opposition to a lot of policies adopted by the government

-By participating in this manner, we are able to make our ideas reachable and heard by the prime minister

-We are a constructive opposition; we are forces that support the strengthening of the statehood

Lately, another idea was suggested, by a very good friend of mine

-If we keep criticizing the prime minister, he will go to negotiations with Alliev feeling weak, and this will hurt the republic, we have to contribute to the prime minister feeling strong, calm, relaxed and self-confident

-Another Idea inside this forum that declare they are Pro-western forces, and that they will persuade the prime minister to leave the Russian Front and HABK

I find all these arguments merely justifications, and I will discuss some of them

-Why would these forces express their opposing ideas in discretion, in silence, without declaring them out loud, in a transparent manner, the public opinion needs to be aware of what is going on, this is a democratic state, the people own the decision, the government is only the executive branch that was appointed by the people, to translate its will, there can never be one public opinion and another private one, in a healthy democratic system

-I seriously doubt that the prime minister is actually listening to any of the ideas that these participating parties are suggesting, the prime minister and this technical majority (26.7% of the votes, quarter of the Armenian citizens inside Armenia who have right to vote have voted for the Civil contract), the civil contract ruling party keep stating that they have an “iron mandate” by the people to do whatever they see fit, they said this to an opposition with 200,000 votes and some 27 deputies, so why would they actually listen to these minor parties who have very little political influence

I here would like to mention that I have made an interview a few months earlier with the former vice president of ‘Artar Hayastan” fair Armenia, who told me that this political party had suspended its participation in these meetings, because they felt that they suggest ideas in vain

-To suggest that by participating in these sessions, they contribute to strengthening the statehood, my own logic can never accept or absorb this logic, especially that it is accompanied by the notion that parties by becoming pro-authorities and pro-ruling force, they strengthen the statehood, this, with all do respect, I find absurd

Statehood is one thing, and ruling party and current authorities is completely another concept, the statehood is a combining umbrella, it combines the whole republic, with all its forcers, opposition, ruling party, executive, military, legislative, judicial and all institutions of the republic, I think a lot of political minds see confused in this area

-Another idea that by the political parties not criticizing the prime minister, not expressing opposition towards him, so he can go to the negotiations with Alliev, feeling relaxed and confident, psychologically and mentally strong,

This is a terrible incorrect approach, on the contrary, this is the exact situation which enabled the prime minister to go and make one concession after another, without worrying of a strong internal reaction from within the republic

The results are very clear, the prime minister made very devastating concessions,

If we had shown him strong opposition maybe he could not have made all these concessions that easily

As for convincing the prime minister to leave HABK, I don’t need to make any effort to prove that this is a naïve approach and an absurd hope, and so far Official Yerevan does not have the sufficient political respectful stance to leave HABK

Now all the damage is done

The Only positive thing that these forces can do it to hold one final session with the prime minister, demand him to resign immediately, and end these sessions

And Upon the republic, peace, prosperity and victory

Long live the Armenian nation, the Armenian Diaspora, and the United free independent sovereign unified republic of Armenia, with all its provinces, Artsakh included, Artaskh An integral inseparable part of Armenia

Peter Manoukian

Lebanese Armenian Blogger