Following speculations started back in March, yesterday, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan stated, that the President of the Central Bank of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan will be the next prime minister of Armenia.
Today, as if to reaffirm the statement, Lragir.am carries a report, according to which the Deputy Chairman of RPA, RA deputy Galust Sahakyan has confirmed, that the Republican party will endorse Tigran Sargsyan’s candidacy for this post.
It is important to note once again, that under the amended Constitution, the executive power of the Prime Minister was greatly enhanced. The government led by the Prime Minister has the following powers, to name just a few:
3) manage the state property;
4) implement unified state policies in the areas of finances, economy, taxation, loans and credits;
4.1) implement the state territorial development policy.
5) implement state policies in the areas of science, education, culture, health, social security and environmental protection;
6) ensure the implementation of the defense, national security and foreign policies of the Republic;
7) ensure maintenance of law and order, take measures to strengthen the legal order and ensure rights and freedoms of the citizens;
Tigran Sargsyan is known as a technocrat, who is too much concerned with Macroeconomic stability and law inflation. His obsession with looking good in front of IMF experts, kills me, because, having read Stiglitz’s book, I’ve become very sceptical about the role IMF has been playing in the world and in Armenia in particular. Here’s some biography: since March 3, 1998, Sargsyan has occupied the post of CBA Chairman. Non-partisan. Married. Has two children. Armenian National Assembly reelected Tigran Sargsyan as CBA Chairman for the second seven-year term on March 2, 2005.
Born on January 29, 1960 in Kirovakan (at present Vanadzor), Armenia. From 1980 to 1983 he attended Leningrad’s Financial and Economic Institute after Voznesenski. From 1983-1987 – postgraduate education ended in obtaining PhD degree. From 1987 to 1990 worked as the Chief of Department for Foreign Economic Relations of Scientific Researches Institute of Economic Planning in Armenia. From 1988-1993 worked at the post of Chairman of republican Council of Young Specialists and Scientists. From 1990 to 1995 – a member of Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia and the Chair of Standing Commission for Financial, Credit and Budget Affairs. From 1995 to 1998 – Director of Scientific Researches Institute of Social Reforms. From 1995 to 1998 – the Chairman of Armenian Banks Association. (most of the biographical details taken from ARKA)
Seems like a good choice: pro-western, competent, not so political, more technocratic, has built the Central Bank into a meritocratic organization, and has displayed strong managerial and personnel-development skills.
Seems like armenia is going to enter an era of prosperity!!!!!
ARAG HAYASTAN DEPI BARGAVACH HAYASTAN!!!!!!!!!
The worst choice.
Only muk is worser.
That known gay will now occupy PM post.
But the bestest choice would have been Jahangiryan or Lady Hakob.
One gossip: Armen Gevoegyan (Armenchik) is going to be Vice Prime-Minister
wow there is also Vice PM. Is there Vice Vice PM?
We can expect even more powerfull dram: 1USD=1AMD :)))))
For now our Vice PM is Hovik Abrahamyan (Muk)
I have no problem with him being a PM (even though I have been critical of a few of his decisions at the CB).
He was a dashnak in the early 90-s, wasn’t he? He was instrumental in implementing the transition to Dram when the Soviet Ruble collapsed. It was not the best monetary implementation but I will give him the benefit of doubt: it was war, Armenia was newly independent and there was no monetary expertise at the time.
Nazarian, as far as I remember, he was from Vazgen Manukyan’s AZhM party back then.
artmika, it could be. I know I was surprised to learn that someone from the opposition would be in such a prominent position when the parliament was dominated by HHSh in during those years.
Must have been more tolerant times than now.
the important thing is, in my opinion, that
the man is an economist before he is a politician.
that, in theory, should benefit the country greatly.
Tigran Sarkissian?! Another geghci, this time from Vanadzor, plus FAGGOT, plus political FLIP-FLOPPER, plus artificial DEVALUATOR of the Dram to the detriment and impoverishment of the Armenian people and to the enrichment of his fellow-geghcis of karabakhi origin. And to those who seek for anything positive in the nominations or workings of this anti-popular, reppressive regime, I’d say: would you please STOP commenting based on “lesser of two evils” principle?! It is repulsive to human dignity. . .
Interesting that your name is Mother of the villagers…not sure who the father is, but anyway…
The hate-inspired attempt to gain power is over. If you do not like the election results or the nominations, please put forth a REAL MAN who has INTEGRITY and has actually CREATED VALUE (I am trying to speak your language). Work hard around this REAL MAN OR WOMAN to build something. Attract people on some platform beyond pure hate. And if being from a city as opposed to a village has resulted in this level of erudite sophistication and wisdom, you may wish to consider returning to school. Even in the villages of Armenia, there are some quite good ones.
the election results
it is not about the results of the election!
it is about the absence of elections!!!
so hard for you to understand this!
please tell me that what happened on feb 19th can be called elections by any means!!!!
how can you be so bearfaced to say after all ” if you dont like “elction” reslts!!!!
nice reply. Some people seem to think that there are limitless choices and people keep making bad choices in Armenia. There are only at most 6-7 million possibilities for that post and this one really does seem to be the most promising among the most obvious choices. Can Armenia have a foreign PM just like we can have a foreign coach?
AH, his name isn’t Mother of the villagers but rather he is about to curse all the villagers mothers. That is the impression I am getting.
What is this gay business? Is the man really gay? Not that I mind, though.
Grigor, I know but couldn’t help it…I am just getting tired of this “swear- at- the- authorities- because- i- am- too- mentally- challenged- to- think- of- anything- constructive” position on everything.
My perception from the comment made by a person who entered the blog under the name”geghaciner” is that he did not target the villagers, but rather those provincial-minded, self-centered, utterly consumerist types that have flouded Armenian power elites in recent years.
Obviously, AH and Grigor, a person (as well as his immediate ancestors) could be born and raised in a city but still be a “geghci” because this definition generally refers to an illiberal, narrow-minded, nepotism-driven people. It is by no means about the origin or geography, but of ATTITUDES of a person.
And I tend to share the general view of the Armenian populace that such people in the highest echelons bring devastation, cultural decline, degradation of moral values as opposed to representatives of well brought-up, well-educated, liberal-minded, and public-spirited intelligenzia. I really do think so.
When is this attitude going to stop. Karen jun, this guy is very well educated, probably one of the most educated people. Read observer’s post. The guy has a PhD. Do you want more? It feels like people are so biased they don’t even see these very few good things that the government does. I have also heard very good things about him from a personal source, things on his diligence and devotion. So we just have to see what happens, it is a good choice but might not work.
It is also not true that our government consists of provincial-minded people. You need to learn our history. Our fist government under Levon was probably one of the most educated and sophisticated bunch out there. Levon was a Doctor, Babken Ararkcian was a PhD i believe, Vazgen Manukian a PhD and a son of a prominent mathematician, Vano was a poet (I believe, he wrote citik citik moti ari…) and so on. This government, your well educated and sophisticated people are the ones who are responsible for what we have today.
If I have to choose between these well educated bunch – Vazgen Manukian and a bunch that includes Dodi Gago then I will go with Dodi Gago. He at least did something for Armenia. None of you might remember this, but when nothing was working in Armenia, the guy basically all alone developed the Kotayk Factory in Abovian. He even won medals in various competitions while nothing, not even Konyak Factory, was working in Armenia. True, he is a provincially minded, but if he did what your well educated bunch couldn’t do, how can you tell me to go with these so called well educated people. The same is true about Grzo. You probably forgot those dark years or you probably weren’t even there, but this provincially minded person is probably one of the few who managed to do something that helped us survive. His various, using the old jargon, sexanner or daxleq where the source of our food for your information. While the educated bunch was selling the coal that they got for free to the neighboring countries (I still remember Sadoyan asking where is the coal those who were there cannot possible forget Sodoyan’s attacks), he was the only one of the few who tried to connect with people. Sorry, provincial or not, criminal or not, but if he didn’t sell pen on his daxles I wouldn’t be able to go to school, because your well educated bunch didn’t care even a bit about us.
This attitude will stop when people are fed, protected by law, and happy with their lives, my friend.
In my comment, I wasn’t trying to emphasize people’s desire to see power-holders well-educated only: you have effectively taken out that particular adjective out of the context. People want to see them well brought-up, liberal, open-minded, public-spirited AND well-educated. That is, the combination and not just one of these characteristics. By the way, if you consider yourself a well-educated person, you should avoid making embarrassing expressions like “you need to learn our history”. They don’t do you credit because you don’t know who I am and how advanced I could be in this subject.
And from “our history” we come to learn that people as much despise Levon’s gang as they despise Karabakhis’ clan. I wasn’t trying to make comparisons between the two, I’m sorry that your level of understanding prompted you to think that I implied that Levon’s gang was better. Not at all. Indeed, one can be well-educated, have a PhD, but be a bastard, nonetheless. Levon’s people were well-educated but they were NOT liberal, open-minded, and public-spirited. And they couldn’t be even had they wanted, because they inherited all the characteristics, methods and attitudes of the totalitarian Soviet rule.
As for current rulers and their inner business circles from whom they stuff their pockets: please, with your hand on your heart, would you say that semi-literate, self-centered, profit-oriented types like dodik or grzo have re-activated factories or spread out dakhleq out of their charitable, Christ-like, Samaritan, benevolent intention to “help us survive” and not because their worries for the contents of their own pockets?! Give me a break. . . And, by the way, wasn’t that all being done during the Levon’s rule? Following your logic, it could be said that Levon too “helped people survive” because it has allowed people like dodi and grzo to promote their businesses under his regime.
The nation-state functions more efficiently when it is represented by the best of its people and not the worst of them. There are many capable, intelligent, and people-oriented individuals who unfortunately cannot ascend to the higher echelons of power because the number of geghcis is overwhelming and they tend to support each other for survival and for the satisfaction of their complex of inferiority. This, and nothing else, was my concern that I’ve expressed in the comment.
what does the word “liberal” mean? homosexual? feminist or gay lover? If you mean that, then be sure, that in Armenia there is no place for such people. And your freemasonic conception will never come true in Armenia. Armenia was always a place and fatherland of Traditionalist and God believing persons. And that USA propaganda about “open-minded” faggot liberalism will never work here, my liberal and “open-minded” friend. P.S. liberalism is a road to Hell, read the Bible.
> If I have to choose between these well educated bunch – Vazgen Manukian and a bunch that
> includes Dodi Gago then I will go with Dodi Gago.
No personal attack here, but this is an ignorant statement.
First of all I am sorry for being too hasty in that post. I didn’t mean to touch your sensitivities. If I could go back I would change things in there.
Secondly, the attitude that I would very much like to see changed is the attitude that if the government isn’t functioning then it must be the case that they are not
[…]well brought-up, liberal, open-minded, public-spirited AND well-educated[…]
One of the reasons that my post came out a bit insulting was that I personally have few relatives among the current and the previous government circles. If you are calling them not well brought-up, not liberal, not open-minded, not publicly-spirited then you effectively touching my sensitivities. You don’t know me and don’t know them to make such conclusions just because Armenia is in such a situation. It feels like that your prescription for deciding if someone is well brought-up, liberal, open-minded, public-spirited AND well-educated is that if he or she is in the government then everything should be fine because how can such a person make bad decisions. Why cannot it just be that they are well brought-up, liberal, open-minded, public-spirited AND well-educated but made wrong decisions. Again, you probably don’t know many among the government but I do, and the ones I know do not fit your description.
Having said this I agree that there are people in our government who are provincially-minded but generalizing this to everyone feels unfair at the minimum. Moreover, you even insult people you don’t intend to insult as a result of your generalizing. There are people in any government who are provincially-minded, and unfortunately this is not our problem. Otherwise it would be very easy to solve.
Thirdly, just what do you mean by well brought-up, liberal, open-minded, public-spirited AND well-educated. These are such loosely defined concepts that you can call it to anyone you don’t like. I don’t see for instance how is it that Babken Ararkcian wasn’t well brought up, liberal, open-minded or public-spirited. I am just missing the point.
[…]would you say that semi-literate, self-centered, profit-oriented types like dodik or grzo have re-activated factories or spread out dakhleq out of their charitable, Christ-like, Samaritan, benevolent intention to “help us survive” and not because their worries for the contents of their own pockets?! Give me a break. . . And, by the way, wasn’t that all being done during the Levon’s rule? Following your logic, it could be said that Levon too “helped people survive” because it has allowed people like dodi and grzo to promote their businesses under his regime. […]
No, I don’t think people like Grzo or Dodi Gago did what they did for people. I never said that, and I would never believe that any businessman for that matter did something like that for the people. I just said that because of what they did we could survive. And because of what Levon and the bunch did our lives became only harsher. And no I wouldn’t credit Grzo’s existence to Levon. That would be very naive of me. I might try to credit Levon’s existence to Grzo which would look more appropriate.
Lastly, your last paragraph is full of universally held truths that really don’t seem to work. I completely disagree that our government is represented by the worst we have, though I might agree that it is not represented by the best we have. I also completely disagree that the reason that the best doesn’t represent our government is because of the overwhelming number of geghci (which as I have been arguing is rather random adjective that serves to no purpose other than insulting). A more agreeable reason might be that they don’t suit to say Russians interests, or that they are too western oriented (which is actually connected to the first) or that they don’t have good plans for solving Karabach problem. But not because of geghci.
I would suggest understanding this gegchi phenomenon via human psychology rather then bringing it to political arena and randomly call some decent people gegchi. Like for instance, obviously, as our own history shows, power and money, especially when one gains them overnight, do change people. Why and how, and what can we do to stop such changes in one’s perception of reality when one goes from poor to extremely rich. This would be a more effective discussion than just calling few we don’t know gegchi and feel good about it.
I think you are missing the point because of your sensitivities that perhaps derive from some kind of psychological attachment to the subject of this post. And I feel I’d rather wrap up my comments here by repeating the following. I believe that “geghciutyun” is about attitudes, and NOT about geography or origin of a person.
I would never mean to offend a person based on his origin, it is below me. Even a person whose great grand parents were born and raised in a city can, too, be a geghci because of a specific mentality typified by illiberality, localism, narrow-mindedness, and a lack of sophistication or perspective. The traits of a geghci, among others, are a superficial technical rationalism, a belief that his own personality is the best in everything, and a mentality that is utterly consumerist. And yes, I can use the term when I have clear evidence that many such people who infiltrated the government structures are led by nepotism and blat influence to further their interests; conformists who appease and adjust themselves to their rulers and as such take no responsibility for the advancement of society and tend to pursue personal gain. Yes, like it or not, they are geghcis to me.
And I think using a couple of Armenian transliterated words could help you understand what I mean. An “achkabac” and “kusht” person would never change neither overnight nor in his lifetime because of power and money. In my circles that mostly consist of intelligentsia, i.e. offsprings of scientists, professors, doctors, academicians, etc. no one ever considered changing or betraying their family traditions because of petty money or a government post. Because there is something different to these people: they are offsprings of “tesats” families. “Tesats” rulers, if theoretically they’re elected rulers which, I agree, don’t work in the real world for a different reason though, will never preoccupy their minds with an animalistic instinct of stuffing their stomachs and pockets while their neighbors are starving, or trading electricity and basic necessities for personal profit, as Levonakanner did. Or squandering hundreds of thousands of dollars in casinos, as Serzhikakanner do.
I’m far from generalizing: it is too low for me. I understand a trivial natural imperative that in every government environment there are pure, dedicated people. Unfortunately, it is the prevailing majority of geghcis (again, see definition above) that brought about backwardness and retardation to our society.
well, I just have to disagree with your beautifully written post. Being an offspring of a scientist doesn’t do any good. Our own history tells this to us. Levon was a doctor of science. You probably know what this means, but if you don’t then this shouldn’t be confused with PhD, it was beyond PhD. He can speak 5-6 languages, and so on. In fact, most people in Karabax committee were decent people, and you might even called them kusht or achqa bac. I rather not list their family backgrounds, you can check it if you want. I am only skeptical about Vazgen Sargsyan, but I am not sure if he was from the committee.
I am not missing your point, I am missing the usefulness of your attitude. You appear, declare people gegchi, claim that we can do better, and then go away. Fine, suppose I agree that everyone in our government now and then were illiterate gegchis, then what. You seem to leave no room for working, whatever little good is happening people start dismissing it on the grounds of certain sentimental views of reality. At least show me a government where ruling party doesn’t consist of geghcis then say that is what I want in Armenia. If the world is such that the yogurt is only white, demanding black yogurt isn’t a very useful activity. Moreover, your definition of gegchi is pretty much sentimental one, with no practical usefulness. As I understand it, all you want is someone who won’t mess up, but your prescription for choosing someone like that is not so useful as our own history shows.
And, all people do change. It doesn’t matter how kusht or rich they were. Look at Richard Nixon for instance.
and one last thing, it is not true that the prevailing majority of our government consists of gexos. The few just keep making the headlines.
And will you stop this casino business. What is wrong with going to casino? Half of America goes to Las Vegas every time they can take a week off. In fact one of the favorite activities among LA Armenians is to go Las Vegas almost every weekend. So if you are criticizing this casino attending business then start from there. Why cannot Serz go to casino? In fact, he probably got invitation from Kirk Krkorian, who knows.
Karen I understand your desire (articulated on April 11 at 9:22PM)- I think we all agree on the desire…the dream, if you will.
I think the important reality to face is: what next? The radical opposition can continue to repeat the same song, but the chorus isn’t growing primarily because of the 1) hypocrisy and 2) Armenians (due to millennia of survival instinct?) knew better than to follow demagoguery that wouldn’t make a difference in 99% of their lives.
Instead, I think the right formula is well articulated by the posts above. There is lots to be done now to rebuild a homeland for all Armenians.
As far as geghci…this is some derogatory nekulturny analog from Russian society. Modern history has shown (and i think this is part of Grigor’s point), that urbane sophistication has little correlation with patriotism or even the capability/desire to rule well, with the interests of “the people” in mind.
Hey guys, up to this moment I was reading posts about geghciutiun just to enjoy myself, but the ones suggesting that “offsprings of intelligentsia don’t do any good” and “urban sophistication has little correlation with patriotism”made me laugh. Hilarious posts. . .
Someone offered an explanation of “geghciuitiun”: that geghcis are a category of people regardless their origin, who have specific attitudes and mentality. I don’t understand what “derogatory nekulturny” can possibly be found here? It is just a reflection on what we have in our homeland and many of its governing bodies. I’m sorry to say that only people who feel connection to such a category react so angrily. Not to admit that our society has degenerated as a result of forced emigration of decent, concerned citizens, skilled urban professionals, is to imitate an ostrich hiding his head in the sand. Not to admit that uneducated “aperos”, whether in the government or in the businesses, whether under levon or rob or serzh, now govern the society and spread their “taburetka makardaki” tastes and attitudes all over, is day-dreaming itself.
And those “modern history” analogues. . . Only people who know this discipline first-hand, and not diletants, can make them. I wouldn’t attempt. But would only repeat a universal truth that in any society progress is made by lawyers and economists working in a parliament and not criminal, semi-literate “aperos”; science and technology are advanced by spreading knowledge and education, and not by “obyektner” and “strip bars”; and a nation is stronger if led by concerned, truly patriotic, principled people, and not by commoners, “one-day-butterflies” busy with making profit while their people starve. This truth shows that sooner or later these people will explode, and that anti-popular regimes such as the ones we had during independence wouldn’t last. In the end of the day, whether some of you like it or not, Armenia must be led by the best (i.e. concerned, popular, professional, intelligent leaders, not money or power-hungry creeps) of its sons and daughters.
As to why serzhik cannot go to casino, guys, please, for Heaven’s sake, don’t make childish comparisons to Los Angeles Armenians. I’m an LA Armenian originally from Armenia, and let me tell you that people from all over the U.S. come to Las Vegas to spend leftovers of THEIR OWN money, but not the money they stole from their own people. On one occasion, friends who happened to be in a casino saw serzhik having spent a gigantic amount. I don’t want to believe that he’s spent it from leftovers of his defense minister’s (at that time) salary. And this is a person who some of you guys say has “correlation with patriotism and the capability/desire to rule well”?! Stealing from people is “patriotism”? Or not declaring income and spending for tax evasion purposes is “capability to rule well”?!
Wouldn’t you be ashamed if you dare to make such comments to the ordinary people on the streets of Yerevan? Ah. . .
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