Epress.am News from Armenia
The opposition in Azerbaijan has shed the level of authority it had during the mass protests the in 2000, 2003 and 2005 elections, said political analyst and journalist Kenan Guluzade in an interview with Newcaucasus.com.
According to him, the opposition couldn’t withstand the pressure: “Even taking into account the presence of considerable opposition-minded voters, it doesn’t mean that this electorate belongs to the classic systematic opposition. Today in Azerbaijan, those who protest work by themselves, and the opposition is a marginal group by itself.”
Asked why Azerbaijan’s opposition on Mar. 11 and 12 didn’t succeed in repeating the events seen in Egypt and Tunisia, the analyst said, “What happened in these countries, it was natural; if this happens here, it will be without the merit of the opposition. The opposition looks to the Middle East, trying to find some connection with the situation. Also publicly discussing opportunities for such a connection are representatives of the authorities, who, of course, are likewise following developments in the Middle East.
“In general, Azerbaijan is not a country in which revolution is possible. Reality shows that our people would be happy for someone else to solve their problems for them, instead of getting up, going and demanding something. The most that can happen here is a deaf protest at a teahouse and in the kitchen and not something bright and loud. And people here, to be honest, live better than in the Middle East,” concluded Guluzade.