‘By Saying Stupid Things, You Can’t Get the Public Behind You’: Publicist

The public is agitated somewhat and there are results from some process or another, which perhaps aren’t apparent at first, but, in truth, they exist, said publicist Tigran Paskevichyan, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today.

“For example, if about three years ago, Tigran Karapetyan appeared in the opposition arena in the same way, I think that he would be able to succeed in establishing quite a serious movement,” he said, adding that his remark is not conditioned by the existence of the Armenian National Congress and Levon Ter-Petrossian.

“I’m not overestimating them, and it’s not as a result of this overestimation that I consider that Tigran Karapetyan’s movement didn’t happen; rather, I consider that during these years a certain amount of progress in the public’s mind, and today, by saying stupid things, you can’t get the public behind you,” he said.

In his opinion, speaking about the need to not have to pay for water in Armenia’s regions, since “water belongs to God,” you take on the role of a clown. “People today understand that it’s not like that, and the people understanding that is also because the Armenian National Congress hasn’t adopted a populist policy.”

“I don’t want to say anything to the opposition because they get very offended,” said another press conference participant, analyst Ardzrun Pepanyan. “It seems to me, the opposition might soon commit suicide from your remarks,” replied Paskevichyan, jokingly.

According to Pepanyan, if there’s a desire to see a change in government, we have to understand what the government represents and what it means for the government to change on its own. “When we analyze this thoroughly, we understand that both fair elections and a change of government are a physical, economic and moral death for a great number of people. And the opposition doesn’t even hide it; they always read a list: when we come [to power], these people will be like this.”

It’s necessary to understand, continued Pepanyan, why these people strive to keep their millions. Pepanyan noted that it would be very bad if Armenia didn’t have an opposition; however, according to him, the opposition has to be more calculating.

“Before me is this force, it has this strength,… in order for me to topple it, I have to have this many people, who have this many volitional features, for me to come out to that great war. If the opposition had all this, it would win,” he said.