Four blocs, fourteen political parties, two public-political organizations, and one union have been registered for proportional participation in the May 25, 2003 elections to the National Assembly. The proportional list of the Dignity, Democracy, Fatherland Bloc contains 71 names. 23 of them represent the Dignified Future Party, 38 the People’s Democratic Party, and ten have no party affiliation. The first three on the list are Lyudmila Harutunyan, Gagik Aslanyan, and Stepan Tsaghikyan. There are for current members of parliament - Gagik Aslanyan, Vanya Hovhannisyan, Samson Sargissyan and Misak Mkrtchyan. The chairman of the office of supervision and control of the National Assembly and his deputy are also on the list. Five candidates out of 71 are unemployed. Thirteen are CEOs and fourteen are presidents of companies. Gohar Yenokyan, former deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR and director of the Garun manufacturing amalgamation is considered a person of consequence.

Stepan Tsaghikyan, number three on the list and chairman of the Center for the Prevention of Corruption, is considered a candidate with good chances. Editor of the Vorotan newspaper Arevhat Amiryan (#46) and deputy editor of the Lusardzak newspaper Artak Tchagharyan (#33) are also on the list, and are coordinating the campaign.

The first step and the presentation of the program

On April 30th, before starting visits to the regions, the bloc had a meeting with media representatives in the Armenpress hall. Lyudmila Harutunyan, dean of the sociology faculty of Yerevan State University, Gagik Aslanyan, deputy speaker of the National Assembly, and Armen Darbinyan, former prime minister and political coordinator of the bloc were present. Darbinyan stated that they did not have a bad reputation as a political force; they didn’t have any “attached oligarch”. When we wondered if having 13 CEOs and a number of presidents of companies in the bloc didn’t mean that they were attached to oligarchs, Darbinyan responded, “The Aravot daily’s making someone out to be an oligarch, doesn’t mean he is one.”

Incidentally, the former prime minister himself is considered to be a financial “roof”. At the meeting, the bloc distributed colorful brochures that it had printed in 20,000 copies. During all its campaign meetings, the bloc stresses that they are a force which realistically assesses the past and the present, clearly conceives the future, and proposes alternative solutions to the existing problems and a new strategy for the development of the country.

On May 12th the bloc presented its program at the Congress Hotel. The program consists of basic principles, strategic priorities and paths of development, and economic policy “branch by branch”. Interestingly, in campaign meetings the bloc has stated that it considers respect for human rights to be the number one problem, but in the program it is in 10th place. Lyudmila Harutunyan regards the creation of social services in jails as an achievement (of course not neglecting to mention her role). One of the important principles of the program is “to ensure equal starting opportunities to all members of society.” Property rights, and intellectual property rights are emphasized; it is envisioned “to improve the infrastructure of the registration and transfer of property rights”. The introduction of the institution of Ombudsman is a key issue in the program.

Meetings in the regions

On May 3rd and 4th the bloc took the Vanadzor-Sanahin-Alaverdi and then Kanakeravan-Yeghvard-Ashtarak-Biurakan routes. On May 11th, the bloc visited Dilijan, Ijevan and the frontier village of Gosh. They prefer outdoor meetings in villages and rarely have meetings in halls.

The toughest meeting was in Kanakeravan. We were informed here by the local campaign staff of the Dignity bloc that majoritarian candidate Aram Harutiunyan had brought two truckloads of earth to the cemetery, expanding the definition of election bribes. On May 10th the Ramkavars had distributed boxes of candies and soap in Dilijan and Ijevan. We took part in meetings in Yeghvard and Dilijan with supporters and local activists for the bloc. To a visitor’s question of whether the bloc was getting its message out successfully, the local activists said, “People are getting tired of everyone, many don’t distinguish between the proportional and the majoritarian elections. We receive calls about election bribes. And this is done by both majoritarian candidates and proportional candidates. The voters wonder whether their vote will serve its purpose or will be ignored again.”

Election folklore

“After the Iraq war, US president George Bush stated that they are building a dignified future. People see a direct link between this political bloc and “foreign citizen” Bush. Armen Darbinyan is lying when he says that they don’t have a roof (protection).”

Problems

1. Seriozha Nazlukhanyan, a disabled man from Kanakeravan, said his twelve-member family had not received their allowances.

2. A villager from Gosh (he was afraid to give us his name) asked to visit the Military unit named after Vazgen Sargissyan to check what the soldiers eat and wear.

3. They complained in Gosh that they can only watch the “Kocharyan Channel” (Armenian Public Television); there is no access other channels. They have no idea about newspapers.

4. Anichka Sargissyan worked for the Impuls Factory, she has not received her pension for a year and a half.

5. In Kanakeravan they showed us “privatized” pastures (the say they belong to Serge Sargissyan’s cousin), and said: “Cows are mooing in the barns. They sold the pastures without asking where the villagers’ cattle were supposed to graze.”

Ruzan Minasyan
Aravot daily, for Hetq-online