Unlike Armenia’s President, Vanyan Doesn’t Squeeze Ilham Aliyev’s Hand: Opinion

In Armenia, except for a dozen people, no one can feel safe, said the principal of Mkhitar Sebastatsy educational complex, Armenia’s former education minister Ashot Bleyan, in response to a question by Epress.am, whether the school will be implementing additional security measures in response to the threats heard concerning the Azerbaijani film festival in Yerevan. 

“How can we speak of security if even the person serving in Armenia’s army and the FSB [Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation] employee in Armenia [referring to those killed in Gyumri on Oct. 23] cannot feel that he is safe. As for my own safety, I, in my professional and public activities, am directed by the law and I can respond with a kick to [any] direct physical threats,” he said.

As for the threats made to festival organizers and supporters, according to Bleyan, it’s the law enforcement bodies who should investigate the matter.

The public outcry to the festival surprised Bleyan, since the festival organizer, Yerevan-based Caucasus Center for Peace-Making Initiatives Georgi Vanyan, isn’t cooperating with Azerbaijan’s leadership. 

“Vanyan, unlike Armenia’s president, does not squeeze [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev’s hand and doesn’t engage in negotiations behind closed doors. And recently, Dashnaktsutyun [Armenian Revolutionary Federation] representatives had visited Baku,” he said. 

At the same time, the former education minister emphasized that he personally has a very positive attitude toward any contact that Armenia’s leaders make with their Azerbaijani colleagues that is aimed at establishing reconciliation and peace between the two countries’ societies.

Returning to the topic of the film festival, Bleyan noted that we can form opinions on the films brought to Yerevan only after viewing them.

“We have held two festivals of Turkish films in our educational complex. Recently, Georgia’s education minister visited us and Georgian films were screened. We are implementing an exchange program with our northern neighbor [Georgia]… We marked Translators’ Day, every year there are different festivals. All this allows the students of the educational complex to have ample opportunities to receive a good education,” added Bleyan. 

He noted that the educational complex is open to all educational, cultural, and public initiatives which allow individuals to broaden their horizons and implement Armenian citizens’ right to be informed enshrined within the Constitution.

“We should be thankful to the organizers who give us the opportunity to break the wall of information that exists between neighboring countries,” he concluded.