By Vache Sarkissian
One of the vulnerabilities of those in power and also of the opposition is the lack of support teams that could help solve problems which cannot be addressed without a modus operandi based on teamwork, writes "Hayots Ashkarh." Today we see the authorities as a collection of people divided into a number of sub-groups, led by their own leaders and pursuing their own narrow interests. What we have are not coherent teams working for clear objectives, but rather clans that do not have any public interest goals at heart, claims the paper. In the opposition camp, the "pathological" ambitions of its leaders is a hindrance to the formation of any effective team, even though they are all well aware that the only chance of victory in the presidential elections is to have a united front and a united candidate. The paper adds, that the former ruling party (HHSh) has decided to venture into this field with its own ace. Judging from some recent signs it appears that the HHSh will push for its own candidate, the former prime minister and Ambassador to Great Britain, Armen Sarkissian.
On 21 August, opposition leaders Aram Sarkissian, Ashot Manucharian and Stepan Demirchian had meetings in three different communities. Demirchian, according to "Aravot," has denied rumors that they intend to create an alliance with the former ruling party, adding that such rumors resemble what some were trying to do during the 1998 presidential campaign to discredit his late father Karen Demirchian. Manucharian in turn told the Talin region gathering that an opposition alliance will be announced in September. In all public meetings the main theme was the resignation of President Robert Kocharian. According to "Aravot," Demirchian has said that his People's Party of Armenia has got its second wind, and the leadership is ready to take whatever steps are necessitated by the situation.
"Azg" believes however that both Demirchian's party and the communists have no future and that is the result of trying to wrestle at the edge of a cliff. Parties have been so much immersed in pro- and anti-regime political intrigues that they almost forgot about their ideological principles. However, the paper says, there are also those in Armenia who succeed. The latest example is the takeover of "Hay-Khnay-Bank" by the "Mika Armenia" corporation, whereby a very influential financial-industrial conglomerate is born and in the person of its owner, Mr. Mikhail Baghdassarov, Armenia has a new oligarch now.
One of the vulnerabilities of those in power and also of the opposition is the lack of support teams that could help solve problems which cannot be addressed without a modus operandi based on teamwork, writes "Hayots Ashkarh." Today we see the authorities as a collection of people divided into a number of sub-groups, led by their own leaders and pursuing their own narrow interests. What we have are not coherent teams working for clear objectives, but rather clans that do not have any public interest goals at heart, claims the paper. In the opposition camp, the "pathological" ambitions of its leaders is a hindrance to the formation of any effective team, even though they are all well aware that the only chance of victory in the presidential elections is to have a united front and a united candidate. The paper adds, that the former ruling party (HHSh) has decided to venture into this field with its own ace. Judging from some recent signs it appears that the HHSh will push for its own candidate, the former prime minister and Ambassador to Great Britain, Armen Sarkissian.
On 21 August, opposition leaders Aram Sarkissian, Ashot Manucharian and Stepan Demirchian had meetings in three different communities. Demirchian, according to "Aravot," has denied rumors that they intend to create an alliance with the former ruling party, adding that such rumors resemble what some were trying to do during the 1998 presidential campaign to discredit his late father Karen Demirchian. Manucharian in turn told the Talin region gathering that an opposition alliance will be announced in September. In all public meetings the main theme was the resignation of President Robert Kocharian. According to "Aravot," Demirchian has said that his People's Party of Armenia has got its second wind, and the leadership is ready to take whatever steps are necessitated by the situation.
"Azg" believes however that both Demirchian's party and the communists have no future and that is the result of trying to wrestle at the edge of a cliff. Parties have been so much immersed in pro- and anti-regime political intrigues that they almost forgot about their ideological principles. However, the paper says, there are also those in Armenia who succeed. The latest example is the takeover of "Hay-Khnay-Bank" by the "Mika Armenia" corporation, whereby a very influential financial-industrial conglomerate is born and in the person of its owner, Mr. Mikhail Baghdassarov, Armenia has a new oligarch now.