Epress.am News from Armenia
Local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) today published an article written by its chief editor, imprisoned journalist Nikol Pashinyan on Feb. 9.
“After the Zurich betrayal, becoming worthy of the Diaspora’s united disgrace, after the shameful failure of Football Diplomacy, [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan has decided to be rehabilitated — appearing more pro–Diasporan Armenian than the Pope [himself]. And aha, he has disseminated the next sanctimonious contact through the lips of holy virgin [diaspora minister] Hranush [Hakobyan], to split our parliament into two chambers, to seat the distinguished Diasporans in the upper chamber,” writes Pashinyan.
That, Serzh Sargsyan is a “lover of pro–Diasporan Armenian affairs,” is obvious, Pashinyan continues. According to the opposition journalist, thanks to the Armenian president’s actions, the number of Diasporan Armenians is increasing and “will surely continue to grow.”
“And since the ‘Forward, Armenia’ slogan assumes that the government should stand by its own people’s side, it’s time for Armenia’s state bodies to gradually move to Glendale, where already Sashik [Serzh Sargsyan] is constructing buildings, perhaps for these purposes. Mrs. Hranush didn’t [actually] say that the parliament’s upper chamber will be operating in Yerevan, [did she]?” notes Pashinyan, adding that this is nothing new in Armenian history: in 1918, the Armenian National Council that declared Armenia’s independence “wasn’t rushing to move to Yerevan. Some of the council members even believed that it would be easier to govern newly independent Armenia from the Georgian capital.”
The importance of the “Serzh-Hranush tandem” contact, Pashinyan continues, is that not only is it considered acceptable to be a member of Armenia’s parliament without actually living in Armenia, but also it is represented as an idea that promotes the nation.
The imprisoned journalist clarifies, it’s not that he’s against the Diaspora’s participation in Armenia’s political life. “It’s just that we’re amazed that no one notices that the Diaspora has been participating already for a long time, and you wouldn’t consider that participation to be a formality in any way: who is [Heritage Party leader] Raffi Hovannisian if not a Diasporan Armenian? What about [Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) representative] Hrant Margaryan, [Armenian’s former foreign affairs minister and Civilitas Foundation founder, board president] Vartan Oskanian. What, were they born and raised in Gegharkunik marz? They themselves decided that they should participate in Armenia’s political life, they’ve moved here permanently, became Republic of Armenia citizens and participate to their heart’s content in Armenia’s processes, which itself is welcoming.
“This is the only possible format of the Diaspora’s participation in Armenia’s political life and government. The rest is disgusting ‘diasporan populism,’ which nourishes our people’s centuries-old misfortune, giving the advantage to the pilgrim’s concept over the citizen’s concept.
“You want the Diaspora to fully participate in Armenia’s life, give citizenship to [Lebanese-Armenian political activist] Jirair Sefilian and release from prison [French-Armenian oppositionist] Sargis Hatspanian,” concludes Pashinyan.