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Mаry Mamyan

Armenia's Eleven National Minority Communities Appear to Support President Sargsyan

There are eleven registered minority communities in Armenia and all seem to be backing the re-election of President Sargsyan.

Yuri Yakovenko, President of the Rosya NGO, and a representative of the Russian community, told Hetq that the community would be backing Sargsyan and said that his organization would be initiating a “get out the vote” drive.

“If we want to build a democratic country and civil society, we must learn to respect ourselves, the law, and the constitution. We are citizens of Armenia. People must fulfil their duty to vote,” said Yakovenko.

He added that President Sargsyan’s platform addresses all outstanding issues faced by the community.

In his campaign platform, President Sargsyan touches on the minorities issue twice, once in the “Cultural” section” and again in the “Education and Sciences” section.

In the former, Sargsyan states “We will create additional possibilities for national minorities to preserve their ethnic identity and to fully manifest their culture”. The latter states, “We will expand the possibility for all vulnerable groups with special education needs, the youth and national minorities, to receive a quality primary education.”

Presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian touches on national minorities once in his campaign platform in a section entitled “The new Armenia we will forge together”

“Everyone living in Armenia, whether an ethnic Armenian or a minority member, as well as all our compatriots spread throughout the world, will be granted an equal opportunity to receive citizenship and will enjoy all the privileges and obligations it provides, including  voting rights, a life and death of dignity, and equality before the law.”

Nothing regarding minorities is to be found in the platforms of Hrant Bagratyan and Paruyr Hayrikian.

Romanya Yavir, President of the Ukrania Federation in Armenia, told Hetq that he is only familiar with President Sargsyan’s campaign platform.

Yavir said it’s necessary for Sargsyan to continue to implement   those programs previously started.

Svetlana Namchevatze, President of the Iverya Georgian charitable community, said there were no issues that hadn’t been addressed. She said that the Georgian community’s issues of concerns were always raised at the National Minorities National-Cultural Organizations Coordinating Council attached to the President’s Office.

“I can’t speak for everyone, but I believe that all the national minorities understand that our president’s policies and positions fully satisfy us,” said Namchevatze.

Arsen Mikhaylov, President of the Atour Assyrian Association, told Hetq that he is partially familiar with the platforms of the candidates and supports them all.

“Naturally, we would have liked to see more attention paid to the minorities’ issue, not only in the president’s platform but with the other candidates as well. He added that of late the authorities have always shown assistance regarding educational and cultural matters.

Mikhaylov said   that even though meetings have yet to be held with representatives of the Assyrian community in order to declare a general position, they will be held shortly. He said the community hopes that Sargsyan gets re-elected.

 Irina Poghosyan, President of the Belarus NGO, said the community would be supporting President Sargsyan. She said that she has called community representatives and was told that the community is ready to go to the polls.

(The eleven registered minority communities in Armenia are: Assyrian, Belarusian, Yezidi, Georgian, German, Greek, Jewish, Kurdish, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian)  

Comments (3)

MARUNE
UXXAKI 1 MEKNABANUTYAMB- MEZ PETG CHES PARON SERJ SARGSYAN....
lernik
Paron Serj ------- HRAJARAKAN TVEQ--------
qaj nazar
te che et inchqan haya mnacel Hayastanum , vor hayin poqramas. chen hamarel ete gyuxer@ datark en mard chka heracel en qaxaqner2 lqvac en ay mard marzernel krchateq, amena shat@ marzpetnerin krchateq axpor pes , mi qich irar uten vor imanan ba aroxj u angorc mardik vonc en yola gnum aranc ashxatanq, nor haskanan te es joxovurd@ xiya agresiv darcel

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