Hetq spoke to MP Vazgen Karakhanyan of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia regarding the possible return to active politics of Robert Kocharyan, the second President of the RoA.

Mr. Karakhanyan, recently Robert Kocharyan has spoken about the possibility of returning to the political arena in Armenia. He pointed to three conditions as prerequisites for such a move. Do those conditions exist today?

That’s a tough question. He noted those three conditions and was waiting to see if they indeed exist or not.

The first was an economic downturn and the growing exodus from Armenia as a result. As regards the other two, if there was a demand by the people and he was confident that he could extract the country from its current state, well I believe you would have to ask Mr. Kocharyan.

As to whether there is a demand or call for him to return, that still needs to be manifested. The people would have to proclaim – Mr. Kocharyan, come and govern because we are in such a situation and the country is going to ruin.

Does the demand for Kocharyan to return exist today?

I wouldn’t think so. I’ve been active in politics throughout the tenures of all three presidents and I must say that today there are plenty of positive processes underway. If internal tensions do not come about, in time, we can construct the Armenia we all want. Naturally, it won’t happen all at once.

So what is hindering the creation of such an Armenia?

First off, there are certain mistakes from the core that are still being felt. Society has yet to grasp the importance of independence, that it shouldn’t sell its vote and the future of its children at election time.

But votes are offered for sale by those in power.

Do you really think so?

Isn’t that the case?

I can’t remember the times I have voted in elections in the Avan district. I have never witnessed such a thing. I have been aligned with the authorities and have never seen them try to bribe people for votes.

In that case, who are people selling their votes to?

Hard to say. But there will be people during the National Assembly elections, people with influence, who can prey on the vulnerability of individuals and seize their ballot. I couldn’t say if there is a definite order to do so. Again, I have never seen such a thing in Avan where I reside.

Maybe there are other circumstances at work there. For example, Andranik Margaryan, the former prime minister, lived there. He had influence. Perhaps that love and respect was the reason such things didn’t happen.