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| Freedom Square, Yerevan, Armenia 15:05 | Republic Square, Yerevan, Armenia, 15:20 |
All through the day yesterday the State propaganda machine was showing the rare crowd of opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian’s supporters in front of the Opera house, describing them as alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless beggars, armed criminals. A scare campaign was also in progress – showing arrests of more Ter-Petrossian’s supporters: Petros Makeyan, Suren Surenyants, Khachatur Suqiasyan’s (Grzo) bodyguards. Meanwhile, demonstrations in various regions, staged in support of government candidate, prime minister Serzh Sargsyan were displayed. H1 Public TV of Armenia was openly inviting everyone to the Republic Square in Yerevan today, to attend the big rally in support of the “newly elected president” Serzh Sargsyan. One thing they miscalculated, however, is the fact, that the authorities have been running out of their administrative levers by now, and that people don’t trust the Public TV reports anymore. Every word public TV said yesterday – contributed to Ter-Petrossian’s authority. People don’t like being treated like sheep.
Today there were two rallies in Yerevan – the endless rally started by the opposition since February 20th in the highly symbolic Freedom Square, in front of the Opera house, and the rally in support of government candidate Serzh Sargsyan, who claims victory at the elections. While people have been warned against attending the rally at the Freedom Square, which the authorities say is unsanctioned, the rally at the Republic square was organized using the whole administrative capacity of the authorities: people were herded and brought in from the regions, state institutions, schools, universities, ministeries. Quite expectedly, people assembled at the Serzh Sargsyan rally at the Republic square, after days of information blockade by the state propaganda machine and in many cases forced to attend the Serzh Sargsyan rally, at some point during the rally, when music pop-star Sirusho was singing, started walking towards the Freedom square rally, where Ter-Petrossian supporters were protesting. As a result – the number of Ter-Petrossian rally participants swelled extraordinarily. In fact, I’ve never seen such a large crowd in my life.
People have awakened, and Serzh Sargsyan, even if he manages to tackle this somehow, will never be a president with real power, authority and legitimacy. Even if Ter-Petrossian doesn’t become president (and I still see his chances as rather vague), he has already won.
This evening president Kocharyan is scheduled to speak on Armenian TV. I expect him to declare a state of emergency, call in the army, perhaps institute curfew and start mass arrests.
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| Northern Ave. Yerevan, Armenia | Freedom Square, Yerevan, Armenia |
[…] The Armenian Observer reports on two rallies staged today by the prime minister and president-elect, Serge Sargsyan, and former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian. […]
I’m too far to realise the full extent of the events taking place and, as some might argue, not etitled to comment, because I left Armenia for a better life abroad. But the very mentality,specific to people who live away form their motherland, is to remember everything in detail. That’s how I remember LTP, Grzo, Hovhannes Hovhanissyan, Alexander Arzumanyan and many ,many others who claim to speak for the nation today.
Levon was,is and will be the one who presided over forged elections in 1995 and 1996,brought the tanks into Yerevan to fight the very people whose votes he claims to be fighting for today. His government initialised the archaic,uncontrolled privatisation, he was the on t decide to give in in the dispute with Azerbaijan……
Hovhaness Hovhanissyan, by large, the pittiest corrupt bureacrat known in Armenia, who, for the right price, would sell his soul to the devul.
Alexander Arzumanyan, who as a Foregin Minister, granted diplomatic titles for set-prices.
Gagik Jhangiryan famous for his brutality,human rights abuse and so on……
The list is,of course,not exhaustive and ca be carried on.
I only watched 30 seconds of Kocharian’s interview on H1 as I don’t think any state of emergency is going to be declared. First of all, as in Georgia, there would have to be clashes first, I think, or a situation where the police and internal security ministries are unable to control the situation which is not what we’re faced with now. Moreover, I wouldn’t expect one to be declared in an interview. It would likely be billed as a live broadcast to the nation.
Still, I’m not sitting through the whole interview as I have work to do. From looking at the opening of Haylur seems to me that the authorities still hopes to convince the population that everything is under control and to stay away from opposition rallies. If they can’t do that one supposes an attempt to disperse people from Liberty Square during the night sometime, and depending on the success of that a possible declaration of a state of emergency if members of Yerkrapah get involved.
As soon as it turns violent is when state of emergencies are usually declared, I think, but I might be speaking too soon. However, lack of a lead up to Kocharian’s interview elsewhere makes me think not. At most, I think we’re still at the stage of warnings, though. Let’s see.
Kocharian or Sargsyan have no control over the army. If a state of emergency is called the police, russian Alpha forces or the KGB ( Armenian Security Services) will not be able to handle it. knowing that Kocharian will not declare an emergency because a force will follow with a force and might lead him being shot like Chaushesku. Nobody wants the events to develop like that.
Madness? This is Armenia!!!
Haik is the appitemy of an Hayastanchi, you are in your blood a racist. Your first comments in this blogs wear to have a sensible argument. But for every blog you get more crazy and show your true coolers. You have delusional mined, truly a hayastanchi narcissist. Your say Russian special forces are in Armenia ? What proofs do you have? Does Armenia which is one of the top countries that spends the most on its army, going to rely on Russian troops? Do you really think Armenia is that important ? Do you think you are important? The international community has recognized Serz Sarkissian as the next president of Armenia. This means that Armenian state body can defend its right whit any possible means whit the approval of the International community. Levon and his mafia friend wear one of the most corrupt regimes in his time, violation human rights and using the Army against its civilians!
Haik you lack normal intelligent argumentation, you are field white hat and rage. You want change for the sake of change , war but peace. You wake the streets in Yerevan and see only sad faces, but you live in USA ? Did you mean you wear walking the streets in Little Armenia Hollywood ? You work for international organization, doing what ? Spreading hate and stealing from the poor ? All international organization even the NGO are just western spy organization their purpose is to maintain poverty, corruption and to cause instability. If they don’t they don’t have a purpose to exist!
You are like Don quijote riding your Donkey to fight against the Russian special forces ! Rid your Donkey to Gumri that’s where you find your Russians to fight. You didn’t have problem when Russian stopped Turkey from attacking Armenia during the liberation of Nagorno Karabag. The reason that Armenia exist is because of Russian forces in Gumri. You are like the Azerbaijani , cheering for Levon
Patrick’s gone cookoo.
I think everybody’s gone cuckoo and while I know it’s not the most popular thing to do in Armenian circles these days, I would imagine the most positive and useful thing all of us could do would be to show some restraint and courtesy when there are some very important issues to discuss and think on.
[…] so, the blog casts doubts on the ability of the authorities to control the situation in the country. People have awakened, and Serzh Sargsyan, even if he manages to tackle this […]
Serzh’s political goons were paying 5000 drams for votes in Vanadzor on election day. His pre-election rallies were filled with people ordered to go there by their bosses, or else they risked losing their jobs. Even school kids had their classes cancelled and were marched to attend Serzh’s “you-got-to-go” speeches. Russian stooges were on Armenian television, saying that only Serzh was qualified to be the next president, totally inappropriate. Serzh is in Russia’s pocket, and will continue to make Armenia a pitiful, bad little of copy of Russia if he takes power. All Armenians should be ashamed and outraged by what has happened in this joke of an election. Sadly, it is a failed nation, run by thugs, thieves, and corrupt liars. That’s who Serzh Sargsyan really stands for.
It is not a secret that tolerance, restraint and courtesy by most Armenians are seen as a sign of weakness. In masses it is the the one that shouts the hardest and makes the most insulting and cynical comment is seen as strong. If you ever lived in Armenia, you should know that people get their differences sorted out by punching each other. This is sad and barbaric, but true. Haven’t your seen grown man calling each other to street to see who is right and who is wrong, which usually end up in fist fight? Given the nature of some Armenians to have very long tongues and custom to sort things out in fist fights, I expect this crisis be “resolved” in a big fight. I think the government will issue a warning, give some time, and use physical force, which is the language that many understand well on the streets.
Better fist fights than what we have in the US – gun fights.
Nazarian, the use of guns at some point has not been discounted by some of us. That’s actually how things are sorted out as a last resort in business and politics here.
For the first time in a very long time I am proud of Armenia, for people who decided to fight back, stand up for their votes. We all know that LTP used the same (or almost the same) ugly vote rigging techniques as Kocharian/Sargisyan, but to me , it is very improtant, in fact, critical that Armenians create a precedent – a precedent of standing up against the will of an illegitimate or legitimate government and actually win. Stand up against Russia’s will who treats us like their slaves, acting as if they are a bully that we need to pay from time to time so that they can protect us from others. Stand up against careless West that uses double standards and hopes that people will respect and listen to their cynical evaluation of the elections.
Again, I don’t have illusions that LTP will suddenly become a saint and be a just and democratic ruler (in fact, he calls for fresh elections and there is chance that someone else emerges as the true winner), but if we create the precedent, we might get rid of him too, if needed. The current regime just can’t stay – defeat now will brake the spine of the Armenian people completely – that will be so devastating. Sorry for long comments; Onnik I like your blog.
Hakhtelu enq!
I just hope some of those punches or bullets hit politicians in both camps and not just ordinary people that usually suffer. It would be ideal if Levon and his gang meet Serzh and his gang in some deserted area and they shoot the hell from each other, only in that case people will win.
I think Kocharian’s strategy is to find a moment when there are less than 3,000 people in Opera to send in special forces with taser guns. The same way they did last time (April 2004). The problem for him is that even at night there are far more than 3,000 protesters at the Opera square.
Dear HiRebel,
Oh yes lets teach Russia and West on how to be fair. After all who else than Armenians, the fairest people in the world!
I used to be very proud of Armenia and Armenians, but more and more I realize that most of us are very uncivilized, uneducated, and intolerant. We are not that different from Turks that we love to hate. So what can a nation of 3 million that cannot get along on a tiny piece of land that miraculously became independent after 700 years of foreign rule teach great empires and rulers of the world like West and Russia? Only one thing that we were repeatedly good at, self destruction.
Guys – I really applaud LTP for having awakened the nation, for revitalizing the opposition and everything. However, I think he has gone too far and needs to chill out a little bit. This pointless torture of people by illusions must stop. LTP must attempt a civilized discussion with all actors of the political sphere and find a solution. How much longer can this continue?
Like I’ve stated above – he has already won – by ensuring this rebirth of opposition. However, Ter-Petrossian has not objectively won – despite his claims. This is not true and I refuse to believe it. I also refuse to accept that Serzh Sargsyan has won, until all the legal means for petitioning have been exhausted. However, if and when the Constitutional Court makes any decision, Ter-Petrossian should be prepared to accept it.
There is limits to everything. Opposition cannot claim victory (which is a blunt lie) forever. There are many more important things to do in this country – demanding justice and building democracy for example, keeping the economy and army strong and facing the too many external threats that we are facing.
After all – we have seen LTP as a president, and we know he had good and bad sides, but we haven’t seen Serzh in that capacity yet. As far as I’m concerned, after the close of the elections, he has been behaving like a non-repressive ruler (some would call him too soft), and has been trying to make calls for constructive dialogue, although, Ter-Petrossian camp are interpreting it as a sign of weakness.
Now – what is it with you people? I’m proud of this revival of freedom spirit, I enjoy being in the Freedom Square and I also call for justice. But stop claiming victory which isn’t there, and try to at least pretend to seek a solution!
Patrick of Sweden,
Dont even dare to call me a racist. It seems that you dont even know the meaning of the word, as you have made some racist calls by calling hayastantsis “delusional minds” and narcisists in your comment.
So you are excused.
Observer, I basically agree with your most recent post, but I disagree with one thing. Simply being “against Robik and Serjik” didn’t galvanize the opposition to victory. Levon did not “win” with this rhetoric. I would argue that he hijacked the opposition, and set democracy back. God knows, Armenia needs a true opposition, one that is not discredited, one that stands FOR something, not just bent on spewing hate and lies and distortions. I do not exonerate the authorities, nor do I feel that elections went perfectly, but it seems that all agree that Serj is no saint. What I find remarkable is Levon’s ability to put the “opposition” in a trance, basically putting having his supporters forget the past, forget his own quite unabashed views on elections and democracy, forget his own track record.
Armenia deserves a better government, and that will come only after we get a halfway decent opposition. Not just a collection of traitorous, Vano-worshipping, sect-type demagogues, who have proved time and time again that they view the Armenian people with contempt.
HiRebel, it’s not my blog. It’s Observer’s.
Ok, I am Hayk (not Haik),
I was the one who told in this forum that Russian Alpha troops are in Armenia.
To PATRICK from SWEDEN
I said that the Russian Alpha forces are in Yerevan now, and this guy from Sweden responds with attacks to another blogger with the same name (Haik), and this guy from Sweden started to attack me personnaly, as if I am working for the corrupt international organization.
I am not going to defend myself now, it useless for some people.
The Russian Alpha is in Yerevan, from February 19 (source is Yerkrapah high ranking Army official).
But I want to talk about something else.
I noticed that those who have not been in Armenia for a long time, they all hate LTP.
There are many reasons for this
1. They have not been in Armenia for a long time, and do not really understand what was happening in Armenia after LTP. They just hear that the economic situation is better now, people have electricity, natural gas, and some basic income, and they think that everything is great.
You guys do not have full picture and you cannot be objective, because you did not feel and follow the events of the last 10 years.
2. They hate LTP, because when they were here in Armenia the times were bad, because of many objective and subjective reasons, and they really lived bad and ran away from Armenia caused by either low income or new opportunities abroad. I DO NOT BLAME THEM, but at least they have to have objective points, not subjective.
3. Those who are now abroad really do not understand that this time people are more important than LTP. LTP is just the leader. Besides that with LTP there are many other parties (23), inlcluding Demirchyan, Raffi Hovhannisyan, Aram Sargsyan (whose brother ousted LTP), Aram Karapetyan, HNCHAKYAN Party and etc.
4. This guys hate so much LTP, that they are ready to close eyes on 100s of thousand people who do not want this REGIME anymore. This guys do not see that Serje uses the administrative force to bring people to his Rally, but then most of this people go to “Azatutyun Square”, and support those who are gathered there.
5. These guys (the LTP haters) just do not want to get that this is about people, who want to live in normal country, and they want to be free and not to be forced to do something in nowadays corrupt Armenia. I will bring 2 facts to prove this argument.
a. The Serje Sargisyan did not have more than 50% (860,000 votes). If he had this much support, he could have at least 100,000 people going to his rally today VOLUNTARILY. He used his all administrative power and could gather less than 50,000 folks from all Armenia, and at least half of those later went to “Azatutyun Square”.
b. People who go to LTP’s Rally, they go VOLUNTARILY and nobody forces them to go there. Moreover, they go their knowing that the Police may use force.
6. Last thing I want to mention is this.
If before elections one could argue and bring arguments that LTP wants just the power, after elections it is not true anymore.
I know that LTP falsified the 96 elections, and in that year I voted against him. But I do not see anything wrong if somebody has done many mistakes now wants to correct. This will sound naive of course, but I have never seen any political leader in my life that will stay and spend many nights with thousands of people in the “Azatutyun Square”. I have never seen any political leader who has been so close to people for so long time with day and nights. Six month ago I wanted that Vazgen Manukian or Raffi Hovhannisyan could be the leader of the opossition, but now I do not regret for a second that LTP is.
Of course many of you will say, that your argument is naive, but I will bring you counter argument. In general I do not believe in any political leader, NO ONE. But I will choose the one who really spends more time with thousands of people, who is close to people, because at least one can hope that this leader can be affected by the ordinary people, and will not pursue only his political agenda.
So, now it is about the people, who do not tolerate this REGIME. LTP is just the leader, and I mean JUST the leader nothing else. People want change, people do not like the “ELECTED” president who was not elected actually.
My last word is directed to those who are living abroad now in their comfortable apartments and houses, who do not listen every day the “State Propaganda”, who do not live in 2 realities, one presented by authorities via media, and the other one the real life that people see everyday, who do not see 100% corrupt and mafia-style institutionalized government, who do not have income problem and have their guaranteed minimum life style, who come to Armenia every 1-5 years and see new buildings and cafes and think that all Armenians live better, who come to Armenia just to spend their time and have fun.
So, all these people (Spyurqahays) at least have to be objective, at least have to have the full information and understand the full picture of Armenia and Armenian livelihood,
TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION.
Other wise if you do not have full information and do not judge by the facts (I mean nowadays facts), then SHUT THE FUCK UP YOUR MOUTH.
Onnik, I know, I did mean your blog, that’s how I came to this blog.
To defuse the tension I invite all of you to read some jokes in my recent post at:
http://www.levonforpresident.com/am/33/
All are sent from readers. I am happy that Armenians still manage to keep the good sense of humour
Enjoy them.
Haik, what would be doing if Stalin had not drawn Hayastan excluding Karabakh and Nakhichevan in 1923? Would you still as proud as you are that you are “Hayastanci”?
Mike what are you talking about?
What I am saying is that had Stalin not decided to separate Karabakh from Hyastan in 1923, would you still be proud “hayastanci”?
I just want to understand the inner psyche of your thinking. What makes one “hayastanci” in your opinion and why? While I can somewhat understand, Erevanci, Gumreci, or Stepanakertci. I fail to see “hayastanci”, “krabakhsci” because a person from Goris is more like one from Stepanaker than one from Erevan.
I still dont understand that why are you asking this question to me? Why me?
I never make differences between ‘hayastantsi’, ‘ Karabakhtsi’ ‘Spyurkahay’ or any Armenian in the way that you imply.
To indulge your interest I wouls say that as a matter of fact I am as much ‘hayastantsi’ as ‘spyurkahay’ as ‘Karabakhtis’. My anscestors come from Artsakh and any other part of current or historical Armenia. Therefore I am pretty sure you are asking those type of provocative questions to a wrong person. I suggest you try another person.
Guys (Patrik Sweden and everybody else) – please be more respectful to each other and avoid giving labels like “racist”, “traitors”, etc. We are all here discussing stuff because we all care about our country in the first place! Let us debate – not argue.
For everybody – please note, that Haik is a different person from Hayk – although they both support LTP. Seizing the occasion, I would like to thank Haik for the link to humour-post.
Onnik – I fully agree with HiRebel – that your blog is excellent 🙂
Hayk – I really appreciate the way you clearly state and classify your points when you make them. However – I think you are overgeneralizing – and I think people abroad have more access to basically free media like: a1plus, lragir.am, zhamanak.com, taregir, then we do here in Armenia, with expensive and slow internet and exposure to state propaganda, which I’ve written about in the main article here. I would also like to clarify – who do you mean by saying: “working for the corrupt international organization”, as I don’t see anyone on this blog matching that criteria.
Haik, Sorry if I directed my question to wrong person. Lately the inner-Armenian racism was getting to ridiculous levels. I thought you were one of those convinced LTP followers that is trying to capitalize on “hayastanci” and “karabakhci” tricks. There are many hateful users like that in youtube. But they only respond with insults and swears to any question.
To Observer
Patrick from Sweden accused me that I work for corrupt international organization.
In my previous postings I have stated that I work for very respected international organization (jsu do not want to mention the name, you all know this organization) and my job allows me half a year to be in USA, and half a year to be in Armenia. This Patrick from Sweden accused me that I am racist and added that all international organizations are corrupt.
Secondly, as I stated that half a year I am in US, so I do know better how the Armenians in US follow the Armenian news. I know very FEW people who follow the Armenian events very closely and day by day bases. Most of the American Armenians (99.5% whether spyurqahay or Hayastanci) do not follow the Armenian Events very closely. So based on this, and the arguments by the bloggers from here who live outside of Armenia, I feel that these guys to not have enough information to be at least objective, even if they have better internet access. Most of the Armenians here have Armenian channels are the H1 and Armenia, and I see the influance of the STATE PROPGANDA from Armenia.
I go to Armenian Church every Sunday (in USA), where at least 300-400 people gather at a time, I have rarely heard that American Armenians inclusing those from Hayastan discuss Armenian matters. IN my 5 years experience being in USA (again half of the year) I have experinced just 2-3 discussions of Armenian events. Cultural events discussed more often, but no political or economic or Social issues.
So, dear observer I am not generalizing and it is just truth. If you read and analyze all of the postings of the Armenians from abroad blogging here you will also come to the same conclusion.
That is why it does not mean if they have better access to Armenian Free-Interenet-media, then they have better knowledge. They just do not follow very closely and on the daily basis.
Hayk – OK – points taken. Indeed, although I’ve graduated high school in US in 96, the last time I was in US was back in 2000 – and I can’t claim to have sufficient knowledge of their news consumption habits.
Hayk,
Living abroad does not mean being detached from Armenia,people who rely on H1 for their information on Armenia do not normally blog. If your low insult was targeted at me, or included me, I can only feel sorry for your psychological state.
All this needs to stop. All that Levon is accomplishing is making our country look bad in the eyes of the world. Right and wrong set aside, Vrej is not going to give up his seat so anything that aggitates the conditions in Armenia is only harming the people who will ultimately pay the price. The leaders who are protesting are being opportunistic and selfish. If blood is shed tomorrow it will be on Levon’s hands. Does he care? Obviously not because if he did he’d take the safety of our people over his own interest in becoming president. Let’s take this to the extreme – say Levon suceeds, what will happen? Hundreds of people will be killed, the whole government overturned and the country set back about 10-20 years. Who’s going to benefit? the PEOPLE????? Of course not. I’m not picking sides. But the only peaceful and least negative solution is to leave things as is. Let me give you one last reason – I have a cousin who is investing a huge amount of money in Armenia but he’s starting to change his mind now. If Levon keeps at it he’s going to back out. Result – the 30 people he was going to hire in a month will not have jobs. The same applies to others…. we need to stop this mess and let the country keep going forward.
True, Sev, that Levon is putting his self-interest before that of the people (as this is more about him declaring himself president than fair elections) BUT- what do you call Serge’s massive falsifications of the election…? Why should one man putting his self-interest in front of the nation through fraud get a pass because he represents the forces who have been in power for 10 years and therefore “stability” over one who is protesting it for at least partly self-interested reasons? You seem to argue that stability means letting those in power do as they like and not questioning it so we can have more safety and stability. The blood will not just be on Levon’s hands- since obviously a truly fair election would have done a lot to have curtailed his attempts at rallying. Sure even a total fair election would have gotten some protests, but Serge through gas on the fire by these blatant falsifications.
Your cousin is an Armenian and should have faith in his nation. While it’s hard to know what will happen next it’s totally irrational to think that the country is about to self-destruct and will destroy his investment. Even if Levon somehow gets to power that is not necessarily setting the country back 20 years just because he was in power 20 years ago. If for none other than humanitarian reasons he should hire those 30 people, Armenia desperately needs jobs. No matter what happens politically there will still be 3 million people who’d appreciate all the investment the outside world can make in their country. There is no reason to believe Armenia will be in a state of massive chaos (which I wouldn’t even say it’s in now), at least not for a prolonged period of time. The wheels of government will turn and things will get back to how they were- for him to pull out of something which will help the country because of some post-electoral troubles is wrong.
Dear Sev,
I respectfully disagree with you. First of all, Georgia did not seem “bad in the eyes of the world” when they were doing their revolution. We should think about our national interest rather than what the world thinks especially when we know that all countries in the world act based on their national interests and often use double standards depending on what’s good for them (look at the issue of Kosovo recognition).
I disagree that because someone is too stubborn and slow to grasp that the game is over, people should put up with it and continue to live in fear for the sake of “stability”. Just an example, when I was serving in the Army in Karabakh (not during the war), on the first day 60 of us, privates, were in the barracks when 3 bullies entered. They were non-athletic and uneducated guys, and we were 60 guys all with graduate degrees. So these 3 started to beat and take money from us one-by-one, and as I was looking at the faces of people – they were afraid and chose the strategy to just be quiet, hoping that maybe the bullies would not hurt them. But they did hurt everyone except the Gyumrecies, and you know why, because they were the only ones that united from the first moment and were ready to fight for each member of their team. I joined them (although I am not Gyumreci) as I needed to survive. But this is the same thing happening in Armenia’s real life – every day the bullies f— the people one-by-one using the fear tacktics. If we want to ever be respected by the world that you care so much about, we need to show that we deserve the right to be free. I would not worry about your cousin, he will do his investment after a while. I am not LTP supporter but I know that he is extremely careful not to let a single drop of blood, otherwise he would already do what Vazgen Manukian allowed to happen several years ago when he let the people to try attacking the National Assembly building. I stronly believe that PEOPLE would benefit a lot from the change of the status quo (I noted some of the reasons in my earlier post). Again, we need to earn our right to be free, and albeit LTP is not the ideal leader, he is what we got, mainly because the current authorities did everything in the past several years to not let any new, undiscredited politicians with real political and economic platforms to emerge in Armenia. Believe me, if they stay, they will make sure that such “mistakes” as LTP do not happen again.
Dear Sev,
Please let your cousin contact me. I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell to him, or maybe some nice swamp land in southern Florida. Investing in Armenia is completely crazy. He might as well burn his money or just start throwing it out the window. Serzh and his mafia thugs will get your cousin’s money, just as they steal from anyone who even exchanges a dollar for drams. Is your cousin so dumb that he wants to lose his money? Tell him to invest someplace where there is the rule of law, not in the pitiful nest of thieves that Kocharian, Serzh, and the other nicknamed criminals have created in Armenia. Investment + Armenia = LOST MONEY, unless you’re one of Serzh’s toadies.
Mr. Kirvov, I am not sure what options you are comparing in your broad-based investment portfolio. Is it the stocks on the NYSE which have lost massive value over the past few years? The real estate market in the US?
Or maybe you actually did invest in Armenia (once anti-investment Levon was ousted 10 years ago) and have made millions as the economy has grown? For your sake, I hope the latter.
About investment.
Stability does not mean safety of investment.
Why?
1. Today’s stability means rule of 2 people in Armenia, who after this turmoil cannot control the economic climate in Armenia, and they have to let the oligarchs and corrupt-government officials to own more businesses and to deepen the corruption. Otherwise in 2-3 years the change will happen from inside of todays government.
2. Secondly, there are many examples that foreigners came and wanted to be in “fair game” business, and they could not because the corrupt system made them to flee the country.
3. Of course there are some successful foreign investments too. Those successful investments are either protected by the government officials “as co-investors”, or they are protected by the foreign governments (like Russian Investments in Armenia).
Let’s take 2 spyurqahay investors. First is the GAFESTCHIAN. I do not see any difference between GAFESTCIAN, and DOD_I GAGO. WHY? Becuase they all connected with either Serje or Robert. The Gafeschian owns the 50% of “Armenia TV”. Do we have any use from “Armenia TV”?, of course not. It is even worse than Public TV. I am personally against this kind of investments, because they are strengthening the corrupt system that now exists in Armenia. I would personally prefer that those 100-200 people who work in Armenia TV be unemployed, than 3 million people watch that TV canal. I think the foreign investors should NOT be part of corruption system, and for me Gafeschian is another corrupt stealer (talanchi), like Dod-i Gago, Nemec Rubo or others.
The second example, is the Hovnanyan. What happened with his busines project. He bought 275 hectars of land in Armenia, without any bid or auction, for 2 dollars per meter square. Now he is selling the same land for $140 dollars per square meter. Then he shares the profits with officials.
Common guys, these are not investments. This kind of foreign-investors are the same corrupt oligarchs that we have in Armenia.
To Sev
Do not worry, tell your cousin to come and invest in Armenia. He will be approached by the “Tax officials”, then he will understand what is “Stable” Armenia. You are just one of those who do not have enough information to make subjective points, and you judge only from one side.
I promis you that your cousin will have the same problems in Armenia, either Serje is in power or LTP. But in the long-run if the nowadays corrupt system changes and new governments comes to power, the thing will be a lot better than now with your “Stable” Armenia.
Tila Nguyen
I Googled for something completely different, but found your page…and have to say thanks. nice read.