Result? Jaded, shattered local Armenians, rejected and cynical Diasporans. They were collectively (and most sinister of all, deliberately encouraged to be) led down a path to turn their backs on Armenia.

It is for this most of all that I cannot have any faith in the reincarnated LTP.

But if, as Observer has politely refused from nomination, the question that is not forming the center of bloging debates is how to achieve a substantial political change?

On one hand many people loose their faith in the current political system and the institution of presidency. On the other hand we are being constantly warned against “radical revolutions” and agaist stepping outside of the boundaries of “normal political practice”, the logic being that such process would destabilise the political atmosphere and serve as a license for Azeri attack. And so we’re stuck – we’re stuck on an irreversible path to gradual neo-liberalist evolution and the “Dictatorship of Normalism”.

So far most blogs talk about what already is. *But what will be the source(s) of change??? If not the mode of production organised in the name of profit and profiteering, and the restrictive political structures that result from the need to protect the business interests of that mode of production and distribution, then What exactly will form the progressive core of Armenian society?* I believe this to be an important question to be discussed while we are at the crossroads of country’s future, for ultimately it is a question of political imagination and political self-determination.

No?

As a result, politics is left with what it can get. I am sorry, but none of the names you’ve mentioned among “young politicians” inspires me with confidence that they can actually lead the country at this point. Perhaps in 10 years time?

Meanwhile, we’re having to choose from “bad and worse” :(

And, again and again, THE NEW GENERATION OF POLITICIANS will save Armenia, whatever camp they now “represent” -people like Nikol Pashinian for example, seems to be a very progressive and committed guy. I have no idea what did he find or recall in LTP’s times that pushes him to stand by LTP now. Nerses Yeritsian – the young new minister of trade is definitely a great guy. The above mentioned Levon Martirosian – the increasingly influential adviser to Serzh, is also capable of playing a very positive role in Armenian politics now and in the future. Other names don’t come to my mind right now but there definitely exist younger politicians that will do a great job for Armenia, I hope.

For anyone out there from Levon Ter Petrosian’s team, take this entry as a complaint about your goons acting as if they own the country. During Ter Petrosian’s rally on Friday, opposition members manhandled a number of journalists including myself, restricted our movement, and preventing us from carrying out our work in what is technically and legally a public area. All of this happened a significant distance away from anyone important and even before Ter Petrosian arrived.

Moreover, some also refused to recognize official documents identifying journalists as such while they carried on as if they owned the country — a concerning fact given that Ter Petrosian is running for president. Even Serzh Sarkisian and Robert Kocharian’s bodyguards as well as police are better than Ter Petrosian’s goons who now have a misplaced feeling of self-importance. Even Hayk Gevorkian from Ter Petrosian’s media mouthpiece, Haykakan Zhamanak, was prevented from moving freely in an open space that posed no security risk at all.

Read more at the original post.

As to being biased: I’ve deliberately tried to be biased, and I’ve written about my feelings and doubts on the ground, because that is something you can never read in the mainstream media.

On the whole – I am as unconvinced and anti-LTP as ever. However, there at the rally, I had strange feeling of sympathy, which disappeared as soon as LTP stepped down from the stage. Let me assure you – that nothing LTP does will ever convince me, that I should vote for him, as to why – I’ve written a number of articles on this blog explaining that, so I prefer not to bore everyone with repeating all that I’ve said previously.

Anyway, the main thing is that we’re more accurate than those writing 20,000 or god forbid, Pashinian’s 85,000. Still, could have been worse. I heard one guy say it was 100,000.

All of which really makes me think about how accurate reports on demonstrations since the breakup of the FSU have been. One guesses many were inflated and exaggerated before being accepted as fact.