"Only Prescott was missing on the list"
Blitz interview with former mayor of Yerevan, former Minister of Internal Affairs Suren Abrahamyan, who isn't participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
"A1+": Mr. Abrahamyan, the "Republic" Party ("Hanrapetutyun") had decided not to participate in the elections through the proportional electoral order, except for Aram Sargsyan. However, the party was supposed to participate through the majoritarian electoral order. You aren't running. Why?
Suren Abrahamyan: During an interview with Aram Abrahamyan on your television station in October, I said that even in the case of snap elections and change of power, I didn't see myself in government and parliament. I don't have any pretensions for power. However, this doesn't mean that I have to sit and wait. I have to do everything to make sure the Armenian National Congress (HAK) receives a lot of votes.
"A1+": The HAK released its list yesterday. How would you assess it?
S. A.: I have my views on the preparation of the list, but the delegate was Levon Ter-Petrosyan and I wouldn't like to give any comment on that.
"A1+": Does this mean that your views, to a certain extent, differ from the views that the HAK finally chose?
S. A.: We have neither financial nor administrative resources. I am a realist, unlike the "optimists" who believe the HAK will receive all the votes. The HAK had to think carefully when forming the list. The list was supposed to include flawless people whom the society knows.
"A1+": Does the Congress have such members?
S. A.: Yes, it does. One simply has to notice them.
"A1+": Do you mean that the HAK didn't notice them when forming the list?
S. A.: I didn't say such a thing. The voters will express their views on the list by casting their votes.
"A1+": Many analysts say the HAK had a higher reputation before the disagreements over the preparation of the lists than it does now. What do you think?
S. A.: When there are not many political processes taking place, the political opposition's reputation changes. That was the case before the story about the lists. But I am certain that things will change with the activation of political processes.
"A1+": It seems as though the future parliament is already visible. What do you have to say about that?
S. A.: The lists released after the authorities' pompous declarations go to show the amount of electoral falsifications that will take place in the upcoming elections. After looking at the lists, it becomes clear that we shouldn't really rely on the newly forming parliament. If political processes led to a selection, that would be a different story. Unfortunately, it is absurd to talk about objective elections today. As for the list of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), to tell you the truth, I was expecting Prescott's name to come before Khosrov Harutyunyan, but unfortunately, they didn't include Prescott in the list. It might have been hard on him.
Interview by Diana Markosyan
