For the past several days, a significant sector of the population in Yerevan has resorted to protests and other civil disobedience measures demanding that the election of Armenia’s former president Serzh Sarkisian as prime minister be nullified.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation believes that it is our people’s inalienable constitutional right to free speech and assembly and to stive for social justice. Hence, the current protests, as long as they are taking place within the confines of the law, are the legal and moral right of the protesters.
It is our conviction that Armenia’s prosperous future lies with the hopes placed on our youth and students. It is also our belief that every step must be taken to avoid bloodshed in the process of resolving issues.
The peaceful and legal transition of power determined by the Constitution is a tenet of complete democracy. Last week, we witnessed the peaceful and lawful transition from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government.
The same tenets must apply to the transition of prime minister’s powers within the new system of government. There can be no objection to this process, and the protesters in Yerevan are also not objecting to the process. It seems their opposition is to the newly appointed prime minister.
According to the Constitution, the party that holds a majority in parliament has the right to nominate a prime minister candidate.
Hence, the protesters and all political forces today are faced with the imperative for solution that is acceptable by all. This solution cannot circumvent the country’s constitutional order, but rather, based on the provisions of the constitution, a proper solution must be derived, in order to benefit the people and the homeland. In the quest to find an acceptable solution, on the one hand, the leaders of the protest and on the other the appointed prime minister and his party have come to an impasse, which demands from each side understanding and political maturity.
As always, our party can only support an equitable outcome where the concept of the state is paramount and the situation is properly untangled.
Thus, we call on our compatriots and organizations in our community to work together and, through political maturity and for the sake of our statehood, maintain our unity and confidence, in order for our homeland and our people to emerge victorious from this crisis.
The ARF is now part and parcel of the corrupt oligarchy. It will further entrench the Soviet indoctrinated anti-ARF masses.
This wishy washy announcement does disservice to the ARF.
I believe some of these people have 3rd world inferiority complex, they do not see the constructive job that ARF is doing for the sake of all Armenians, their approach is cooperation not confrontation.
Sorry ARF your on the wrong side. A leader for decades isn’t democracy and leads to NOTHING good. HE needs to step down. The ONLY Solution that is acceptable is the true will of the people, Not some sham political party that steals election. Your on the wrong side ARF..
Just because you said so?
When did the ARF stop being the party of the people and instead the lackey of the Oligarchs and Republicans?
Seems to me ARF Armenia are trying to remain in the coalition at all coast. No wonder there is minimal support in Armenia.
I no longer recognize the ARF I grew up with. I didn’t know of any political party but ARF. How can you be part of this corrupt government and in face of popular uprising, come up with this pathetic statement. ARF is no longer relevant to the future of Armenia, so stop talking about what is legitimate and what is not.
Though I support ARF in general but I was expecting a different stand and stronger message toward democratic election/administration. I would expect a better reasoning and explanation towards ARF stand on this matter. Unfortunately with above article I feel that ARF is disengaging itself from the issue which is not the best strategy.
Keep digging, each day you dig your and Armenia’s grave even deeper. Today’s statement is even worse than yesterday’s. I never thought I would say this, but I think it’s time for a revolt within the ranks of the A.R.F. and get rid of those who support an authoritarian government. Of all organizations the A.R.F. should be supporting those brave young people on the streets of Yerevan and all the other cities in Armenia.
The A.R.F. should have been the leading political organization in Armenia. Instead, what was once the most prominent Armenian political organization in the world has succumbed to being an organization without any backbone. Due to the A.R.F’s. coalition with Sarkisyan and the Hanrapetakan Party, you have become part of the problem. It is no wonder why our organization receives so few votes during elections.
The A.R.F. is the organization that should have been the one that is interested in the betterment of the people of Armenia, instead you have been corrupted and have become an organization interested in the betterment of a certain few.
Amot.
This is not the organization that I grew up in.
No surprise. ARF is ALWAYS on the wrong side. Original friends with Young Turks, signing Treaty of Alexandropol selling out Armenia, friends with Fascists (Dro), friends with Serjik etc.
ՄԻԱՑԵՔ, ՀԱՅՐԵՆԻՔԻ ԶԱՎԱԿՆԵՐ,
ՊԱՅՔԱՐԻ ԺԱՄԸ ԵԿԵԼ Է,
ՄԵՐ ԴԻՄԱՑ ԿԱՆԳՆԱԾ Է ԲՌՆԱԿԱԼԸ,
ՍԱԿԱՅՆ ՆՐԱ ԺԱՄԵՐԸ ՀԱՇՎԱԾ ԵՆ:
Times changed, ARF did not change with it. Ten years ago, ARF was with the government on march 1 events, they were with the current government today, all they asked was for position instead of working for change.
They lost all. We need a big change ourselves in the diaspora, if we want to survive in the next 100 years. Instead of waisting our time with “traditional” organizations, we should design organizations that solve particular problems. Since there are many problems, we will end up with many organizations, but can work together organically. After living in democratic countries for 100 years, instead of us showing the way forward to the Armenians in Armenia about how to organize, the new generation there are teaching us how to go forward. I’m happy with the new generation of Armenians in Armenia. God Bless Them All.