At a press conference today in Yerevan, Professor Harutyun Mesrobyan, commented that many political figures in Armenia don’t take the upcoming elections seriously and that the government’s talk of election reform can’t be taken seriously.

“It’s the same old tune we’ve heard the authorities sing since 1995,” Professor Mesrobyan said.

The management expert said there is scientific approach employed in the run-up to elections in Armenia and that past experience isn’t brought into the equation.

“Every election cycle starts from zero,” Mesrobyan noted. “We really don’t want serious elections but are more interested in an entertaining show.”

He said that what awaits Armenia is the same scenario as in past elections - much talk and bustle, but that none of it is intended to assist the development of the country.

He said that what most political forces present to the public aren’t policies but rhetorical “toasts”.

“We’ve been talking about Armenia’s transitional phase for the past twenty months whereas such a stage doesn’t exceed ten years in other countries,” Mesrobyan said, adding that professionals must be brought into the government rather than those who only make flowery speeches.

Turning to the current political landscape in Armenia, Mesrobyan noted that there hasn’t been real change in Armenia since independence, simply a transfer between the government and opposition.

“There are the same faces out there. There is no true opposition, just individuals who are anti-government,” Mesrobyan concluded.