Earlier this week, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation said a $67 million project aimed at reconstructing and repairing about 1,000 kilometers of rural roads in Armenia, which is part of the $235.6-million-worth Millennium Challenge Account program, will not be implemented anytime soon.
The agency, which administers the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) program, froze the project following a harsh government crackdown on the Armenian opposition sparked by the disputed presidential election of February 2008. The MCC board of directors has extended the freeze during quarterly meetings held over the past year.
The decision came shortly after the U.S. State Department reiterated its discontent with Yerevan’s human rights record in an annual report on U.S. efforts to promote freedom and democracy around the world. It again described the February 2008 ballot as “significantly flawed” and criticized the ensuing government crackdown on the opposition.
Galust Sahakian, who heads the parliamentary faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) effectively brushed aside the criticism, saying that decisions of this kind are usually “politicized” and therefore “not always objective.”
Meanwhile, a representative of the HHK’s junior coalition partner and parliament’s second largest faction, Prosperous Armenia, voiced regret over the U.S. decision to cut aid to Armenia.
“If we take a more global view of the issue, then we should ask ourselves – will the imposition of such a sanction ultimately help our country’s democratization? I think it won’t,” said Naira Zohrabian.
Vahan Hovannisian, who heads the parliamentary faction of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), which until recently was part of Armenia’s governing coalition, admitted that attitudes towards Armenia are shaped by the political events taking place in the country.
Still, Hovannisian said: “It is a little unclear why small communities of Armenia should suffer because of all this.”
Regarding the U.S. State Department report, the senior Dashnaktsutyun member added: “There are correct evaluations in the report and there are also exaggerations.”
Meanwhile, Armen Martirosian, the head of the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party’s parliamentary faction, blamed the authorities for “criminal inaction or action” that “left Armenia without aid in conditions of the continuing global economic crisis.”
The agency, which administers the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) program, froze the project following a harsh government crackdown on the Armenian opposition sparked by the disputed presidential election of February 2008. The MCC board of directors has extended the freeze during quarterly meetings held over the past year.
The decision came shortly after the U.S. State Department reiterated its discontent with Yerevan’s human rights record in an annual report on U.S. efforts to promote freedom and democracy around the world. It again described the February 2008 ballot as “significantly flawed” and criticized the ensuing government crackdown on the opposition.
Galust Sahakian, who heads the parliamentary faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) effectively brushed aside the criticism, saying that decisions of this kind are usually “politicized” and therefore “not always objective.”
Meanwhile, a representative of the HHK’s junior coalition partner and parliament’s second largest faction, Prosperous Armenia, voiced regret over the U.S. decision to cut aid to Armenia.
“If we take a more global view of the issue, then we should ask ourselves – will the imposition of such a sanction ultimately help our country’s democratization? I think it won’t,” said Naira Zohrabian.
Vahan Hovannisian, who heads the parliamentary faction of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), which until recently was part of Armenia’s governing coalition, admitted that attitudes towards Armenia are shaped by the political events taking place in the country.
Still, Hovannisian said: “It is a little unclear why small communities of Armenia should suffer because of all this.”
Regarding the U.S. State Department report, the senior Dashnaktsutyun member added: “There are correct evaluations in the report and there are also exaggerations.”
Meanwhile, Armen Martirosian, the head of the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party’s parliamentary faction, blamed the authorities for “criminal inaction or action” that “left Armenia without aid in conditions of the continuing global economic crisis.”