It’s important that we understand why those who repeat the “no Nikol, but not the նախկինs [predecessors] either” mantra are morally bankrupt and wrong.
First, many of them are in fact Nikol supporters and (unsurprisingly) being disingenuous when they say “no predecessors.” They know the only viable alternatives to the current PM are actually members of previous governments, so by taking this position they ensure Nikol stays as PM.
This group of people are the originators of Nikolism and, left unchecked by the next government, will continue to propagate Nikolism under a different brand, which they may even call “anti-Nikolism.” This group must be dealt with at the political and legal level.
But, for many others, it is largely a question of ego. Even if they realize the absolute disaster Nikol has been and genuinely oppose him today, they are uncomfortable admitting it was a mistake to support him in 2018. This group deserves our pity as well as our scorn. Why?
Because thousands of young Armenians perished in the last war because of that mistake and failure to recognize it as such simply means we are doomed to repeat it. If your ego is more important than the sacrifice of those that perished then you are a vile human being.
Moreover, since the failure to recognize the mistake only means we are doomed to repeat it, it means you are willing to risk the lives of another generation of young Armenians…all for the sake of your ego. If the above is your position, think long and hard about this.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, to preemptively disqualify all members of the former government from a solution is to curse us into oblivion. What Armenia needs is experienced hands who understand military matters and know how to navigate the relationship with Russia.
Almost by definition, this means it has to be members of the previous government. A competent, capable elite does not grow on trees overnight—and to demand the next government be entirely ‘new’ people is to put this impossible demand on Armenia’s political system.
So, as you see, not only does the correct position one should take allow for members of the old governments to be a part of the solution, that is almost a necessity. What is at stake is Armenia’s survival—and the threat is very real.
To the blithering idiots that react to the prospect of Robert Kocharyan or another նախկին [predecessor] being PM with a form of “but, but, but…corruption!”, I have a simple response to you: Putting aside the fact that much of your beliefs about alleged corruption are simply false, keep in mind that corruption plagues every country and it can be addressed over time. It’s a problem, but not a problem worth killing another thousand 18–19 year olds over.
The only question that remains is whether Armenia can spare another 6,000+ young people մինչ դուք խելքի գաք [until you wake up].
This is Henrik Dumanian’s debut on The Armenite. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. You can follow him on Twitter.
The author doesn’t help his argument when he calls people he doesn’t agree with “blithering idiots.”
His nonchalance re Kocharyan’s return is abhorrent. He is saying it’s fine if a man who robbed the country blind returned. Does the author have an explanation as to how a president of a poor country becomes a millionaire oligarch upon leaving his post?
Kocharyan’s record “can be addressed over time.” Come again!?
I believe he qualified that corruption exists everywhere and it should be addressed by every country over time. That being said, corruption is objectively, relatively low in Armenia during the nakhgins – only its perception is off-the-charts high (this according to Western sources and studies).
That being said, you claim Kocharyan robbed the country blind. I’d love to know how and when. Not even the foreign-funded news that’s claimed it ever showed a shred of evidence supporting their defamatory claims. Also, building wealth and becoming a millionaire is very common for Presidents of countries (even poor ones), to the point that every single legislator, judge, PM, and President of nearly every country in the world has significantly more wealth than the average citizen during and after office; likely the connections made in office and their understanding of business and finance is enhanced – the same reason you went to college and make more than most your uneducated peers.
Let’s reiterate the fact that for a post-Soviet country, Armenians are definitely less corrupt, and more democratic than most – long before our Velveteen times. The only difference for Armenia is that those same nakhgins you detest are actually to blame for allowing foreign-funded NGOs and media to run amok in Armenia – leading you and many others to the incorrect perception that their own leadership and government was corrupt. Ironic, no?
Digging past just a headline from a foreign-funded outlet or listening a friend in Armenia who just read that same headline will do you good.
1.The author calling certain people re Kocharyan quote “blithering idiots” is too kind. People who still support the SorosaTürk plant&agent Pashinoğlu, who and his SorosaGang are singularly responsible for the loss of several 1,000 young Armenian lives, several 1,000s of young Armenian men maimed & crippled for life, 100s to 1,000s MIA, 100s of civilian captives being tortured by Türk savages, loss of Artskah, ongoing loss of Syunik, and on, and on…….are worse than idiots: you guys who still support the SorosaScum have the blood of 1,000s and 1,000s of Armenians on your hands. Blood.
2. [He is saying it’s fine if a man who robbed the country blind returned.]. No he is not saying it: YOU are. Do you have ANY proof that Kocharyan stole one dollar? You don’t and neither does anybody else. How do I know this? Because if he had, the Pashinoğlu gang would not stop publicizing it. They have not found 1 “robbed” Dram. They had nothing, so they came up with the bogus and illogical charge of “trying to overthrow” his own (Kocharyan) government. They had nothing one General Manvel Grigoryan either, whom they murdered on orders from war criminal Aliev. (all the “evidence” of stolen stuff turned out to be manufactured, fake).
3. [Does the author have an explanation as to how a president of a poor country becomes a millionaire oligarch upon leaving his post?] Maybe the author doesn’t, but I do. How did Bill Clinton and his wife – the proverbial ‘white trash’ from backwoods of Arkansas, who ate at taxpayers expense all their lives and didn’t have a dime (figuratively speaking,) become multi-millionaires after Bill got elected POTUS? You figure it out. Armenia a poor country? Relative to what. There was legitimate money to be made, if you were smart, had connection, etc. There were people who risked capital, opened supermarkets and succeeded. Became wealthy. So? Why shouldn’t people who are better in business than you and me succeed? If you are a powerful individual and have connection, people do favours for you. So?
Speaking of corruption and the supposed corruption of նախկիներ: almost every week there is new evidence of the Pashinoğlu gang’s new, unprecedented depths of corruption. For example, why aren’t you SorosaZombies discussing how your Messiah and his gang stole the ArmeniaFund $170 MILLION that Armenians worldwide collected for Artsakh and our soldiers, and which the gang illegally siphoned off to pay themselves and their sycophants and agents bonuses and whatever else?
And finally: even IF _everything_ being alleged about Kocharyan and Sargsyan was true, youse who choose those who are methodically destroying Armenia as a viable entity and preparing her for another Genocide at the hands of Caspian and Osmanli Turks vs some level of corruption – then you are no better than those Türkoğlar.
Apart from the fact that it would take too much time to correct the misinformation in the above lengthy ad hominem, I will not reply to the agitated letter writer because I don’t want to raise his blood pressure: he has a problem controlling his emotions. It’s a shame because he could have made his points without resorting to self-defeating vituperation.
Naturally, you can ignore my response to you, and focus on the one you’d prefer to dismiss. 😉
I’d love to hear your response to my points, Mario.
1. To say that corruption exists everywhere is a cop-out. Of course, corruption exists everywhere but there’s something to be said about the degree. A pinch and a bullet through the heart are both violent but of a different degree.
2. You say corruption is relatively low in Armenia. But in 2017 the “Corruption Perception Index” placed Armenia 107th among 180 countries. I don’t call that “relatively low” because most of the states from 107th to 180 were mostly Fourth World countries.
In 2014 (Kocharyan/Sargsyan era), Transparency International reported that in Armenia “entrenched corruption, strong patronage network, a lack of clear separation between private enterprise and public office, as well as the overlap between politicians and business elites in Armenia render the implementation of anti-corruption efforts relatively inefficient and feed a pervasive political apathy and cynicism on the part of the citizens…”
Former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said corruption is “Armenia’s number one problem that obstructs all our reforms.”
3. According to Corruption Perception Index, Armenia scored 49 points (out of possible 100 points) placing in the 60th position. Ahead of Armenia were Bhutan, Seychelles, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, Botswana, Brunei, Mauritius, Cabo Verde, Saint Lucia, Dominica…and Saudi Arabia. Also ahead of Armenia were the following ex-Soviet states: Belarus, Georgia, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. I mention the last three because you implied that compared to states which are in the same boat, Armenia was doing fairly well.
4. Kocharyan’s wealth. While there has been irresponsible allegations that he has $ 4 billion, a more realistic figure is $250 million. He has significant shares in Artsakhbank, MAP, Unibank, Ardshininvestbank, Converse Bank, Renco Construction, Nairi Medical Centres, K-Telecom, Toyota dealership, Nairi Insurance, Radisson Hotel, a ski resort, owns Congress Hotel, 2nd biggest mobile telephone company, and Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum mining company. His sons say they are millionaires. If the juniors have millions, it’s safe to assume (considering the above) that Dad has more millions than his offspring.
5. You assume I am pro-Pashinyan. Nothing in my first comment indicated support of Pashinyan.
6. You further muddy the waters by assuming I support the Soros off-shoots in Armenia. Wrong again. By the way, I have been reading for a long time about NGOs and media owned by foreigners. I would love to learn which NGOs and media outlets are owned or supported financially by foreigners, including the Soros people.
7. Did I miss any matter your raised in your letter? If I did, it’s because I invested much more time in responding than I had intended.
I genuinely appreciate your concern for my blood pressure and health: not to worry though. My health is fine – according to my excellent MD here in California – and my BP is a perfect 110/70. Thank you.
Regarding the matter at hand: no need for you to take much time from your busy schedule to respond to (all) my “misinformation”. Try just one.
Please debunk – if you can – my assertion that there is not one piece evidence tha Robert Kocharyan has supposedly stolen US$ Millions. I know you can’t, because if Pashinoğlu gang’s 3 year illegal Inquisition and persecution of Robert Kocharyan had uncovered even a smidgen of evidence, they’d never stop publicizing it.
My assertion, for example – which you label ‘misinformation’ in desperation – [“that your Messiah and his gang stole the ArmeniaFund $170 MILLION”] is backed by fact. As in:
https://asbarez.com/199293/president-still-awaiting-government-report-on-100-million-hayastan-fund-donation/
[YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—President Armen Sarkissian has still not received a financial report on the use of $100 million raised by a pan-Armenian charity for Nagorno-Karabakh and controversially donated to Armenia’s government.
The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund launched an international fundraising campaign immediately after the outbreak of the war in Karabakh on September 27. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians from around the world responded to its appeal for urgent aid to Karabakh and its population, donating roughly $170 million within weeks.
The charity headquartered in Yerevan redirected more than $100 million of those proceeds to the government. The Armenian Finance Ministry said on November 24 that the sum will finance the government’s “infrastructure, social and healthcare expenditures” necessitated by the six-week war.]
Nice euphemism, btw, calling outright theft of funds raised for the Artsakh war as ‘donated to’ the Pashinoğlu gang. (there I go again: another “vituperation”. Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.
See my previous comment.
When the leader of an economically-challenged country becomes a millionaire, one wonders how with his small salary he managed to become a millionaire. Did he become a millionaire while in office? There are two oligarchic pyramids (a collection of oligarchs) in Armenia. Sargsyan is the head of one pyramid and Kocharyan the other. It must be a coincidence that they were the leaders of the country.
{“See my previous comment”}
I did. Several times. Same-old, same-old, non-response, non-response.
{“You assume I am pro-Pashinyan. “} {“by assuming I support the Soros off-shoots in Armenia. Wrong again.”}
The lady doth protest too much. Of course you are pro- Pashinoğlu. Of course you support, quote, “Soros off-shoots”.
Below I will elaborate, but this sentence of yours is the ‘tell’ that you are both a Pashinoğlu groupie and SorosaCadre.
{“I would love to learn which NGOs and media outlets are owned or supported financially by foreigners, including the Soros people. “}.
Really? Apparently you are in possession of a long, detailed list of properties allegedly owned by Kocharyan and his family, but are completely oblivious of who feeds at the SorosaTrough in Armenia? I know you know which those are, but are incongruously pretending not to know. Nevertheless, read this article for some samples of those outfits:
https://thearmenite.com/2021/01/media-un-freedom-in-armenia/
As to you constantly bringing up Kocharyan and his alleged millions. Again, you present the same bunch of allegations, conjectures, accusations,….from the same PashinoğluSorosa yellow journalism playbook: accuse, allege, lie, inflate, conflate, ..Pashinoğlu’s Inquisitors have been unable to find one shred of evidence that Kocharyan has gotten a single dollar via fraud or “theft” in 3 years of trying. Not one. Being wealthy is no crime. But of course this is the SorosaTurk blueprint of destruction of Armenia. And the SorosaCadres were and are ready to do their part. Even today. Despicable, vile behaviour.
As in: keep discussing absurdities (“Corruption Index”, this Index, that Index,….blah, blah,….), repeat, repeat, repeat some more, lies and false allegations, and ignore today’s tragic reality of Armenia rolling deeper and deeper into the canyon of no-return. It’s the standard magician’s misdirection: watch the shiny object in the magician’s left hand, while his right hand lifts your wallet full of cash. While SorosCadres keep regurgitating non-issues, they deliberately ignore:
1. The fact that due to PashinSorosaOğlu treachery and/or incompetence we have several thousand young Armenian men dead; several thousand maimed; hundreds of Armenians kept by Caspian Turks in Baku torture chambers.
2. The fact that 1 month before Sept 27 invasion by Turks, Moscow warned PashinSorosaOğlu that Turks will invade massively and offered to start war games in Armenia under CSTO obligation to stop Turks from invading . The Traitor naturally refused: why? So that his mission of selling Artsakh and destroying Armenian military and Armenia as a viable state will go forward.
3. The fact that PashinSorosaOğlu gang has stolen at least $100 million from ArmeniaFund. Nobody knows what has happened to the other $70 million of $170 million that worldwide Armenians donated expressly and exclusively for the Artsakh war effort.
4. The fact that PashinSorosaOğlu gang keeps giving Republic of Armenia lands piece by piece to Caspian Turks.
5. The fact that Armenian Assembly Speaker Ağrı MirzonOğlu (agent code name ‘Ararat Mirzoyan’) has been credibly linked to Turkish Intelligence services.
6. And on, and on, and on,….
It’s impossible to exchange opinions with you. You take my 1 + 1 and make it 3. Indulge in your new math to your heart’s content and enjoy wallowing in fact-deficient speculation. Pashinoghlu? You must think it’s clever since you keep repeating it. Can’t you do better than repeat the clumsy insult coined by others? The next thing you will say is that when Pash comes to a shove, Pashinoghlu should be exiled to Pashadena disguised in a pashmina.
You will have the last word in this thread.
Cheers.