Epress.am News from Armenia
NK’s newly “elected” president Arayik Harutyunyan, a person of huge material wealth and status in NK, for the first time made a livestreamed address to NK people declaring of structural changes in the government, the most important of which is the establishment of a new Ministry of Militarized Patriotism. The goal will be to boost patriotism, despite the fact that “artsaktsis are brought up that way the moment they are born.”
There will be a ministry of militarized patriotism, youth, sports and tourism. “Militarized patriotism, army-society connection will be one of the focus areas of the new government.
Any economic success, social programs are worth nothing, if there is no unified solidarity in the country, if the major issues are subdued in the country. The major issue in our country is the Artsakh issue, and the key to its success is military patriotism.”
The goal of the new ministry will be to boost and develop patriotism.
Here a big role will have… not only preaching military patriotism in Artsakh, but also making links with our compatriots in Armenia and Diaspora and through integration of links we can have a uniform armenianity, the goal of which will be the Armenian cause, and within the Armenian cause, the Artsakh cause is the major one, I believe.”
In response to NK-based opposition’s criticism, he said that “sons of our fatherland that have had a role in nation-building should not be insulted.” Harutyunyan signed a memorandum of partnership with Samvel Babayan, former head of “Unified homeland” party running against Harutyunyan in the elections.
In effect, Babayan dissipated the oppositional force and now is allying with his not-long-ago foe, whom he was calling “metal crap worker.”
“Do not dare to label this agreement that is an obligation towards the future of our nation and country. Nobody is sold out, nobody buys out someone else. Whoever uses these words, they are sold out. We do everything for the sake of the people, the future,” said the well-known oligarch of NK.
Oppositional “National Renaissance” party’s Hayk Khanumyan, that failed to make to the NK Parliament in this round wrote, “Samvel Babayan is indeed a figure that has the largest input in the Artsakh war. He could have earned a large input in the political field if he chose to remain in opposition and strengthened the political field with his party. Instead, he has signed a memorandum of partnership. The figure who was calling names at Arayik Harutyunyan and swearing at him is now his ally. Samvel Babayan, is yet another political merchant. He sells his votes in order to receive some posts in the executive, most likely that of the Secretary of the National Council. By that, he will ensure salaries for himself and some of his team-members. And it will be the people that will pay for his and his team’s salaries by taxes. I said many times to supporters of Babayan, that anyone voting for Babayan is voting for Arayik Harutyunyan’s party.
It was in the summer of 2019 that with the intermediation of Artur Vanetsyan, [former head of Armenia’s National Security Service], Samvel Babayan and Arayik Harutyunyan came to an agreement. In reality, there is no ideological difference between Babayan’s “Unified Homeland” and Harutyunyan’s “Free Homeland” parties, both aim to take power for narrow clan interests and personal gains.
There are those that have been sold out and those that are buyers, the NK political system has no way to advance unless these sales are completely rejected.”