Dashnaktsutiun Still Undecided

Apart from the candidacy of the prime minister, Serzh Sarkisian, and the likely nomination of former speaker of parliament, Artur Baghdasarian, by the opposition Orinats Yerkir party, another political force that has said it will definitely field a candidate in next year’s parliamentary election is the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutiun (ARF-D).

Despite being a member of the current coalition government, the party has said it will not endorse Sarkisian’s candidacy. However, the party has yet to decide on which of two possible candidates they will nominate.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) ended a three-day congress in Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday without announcing the long-awaited name of its candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections.

The official nomination of that candidate was expected to top the agenda of the gathering held behind the closed doors.

Delegates only reaffirmed the decision by the nationalist party represented in Armenia’s government not to endorse Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian and to contest the presidential ballot independently. They also approved a shortlist of two top Dashnaktsutyun leaders willing to run for president. Those are Vahan Hovannisian, deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament, and Armen Rustamian, chairman of its committee on foreign relations.

In a written statement, Dashnaktsutyun said it will hold another congress in November to officially nominate one of the two men as a presidential candidate.

Most commentators and observers don’t rate Dashnaktsutiun’s chances highly at all, and some even think that the party’s stated intention to challenge Sarkisian in the vote is simply an attempt to gain extra cabinet positions in exchange for their support if the vote goes to a second round. Critics argue that this has long been the policy of the ARF-D — criticizing the same government they are part of in exchange and threatening to go into opposition unless they are given greater power.

Its statement on Monday deplored a “slowdown in profound and comprehensive democratic reforms implemented in the country” and Armenians’ “growing alienation from and disappointment with the authorities and political forces.” It also expressed concern at government corruption and a “continuing intertwining of politics and business.”

Markarian said Sarkisian’s victory in the presidential vote would be bad for Armenia as it would mean that virtually all branches of government are controlled by a single individual. He claimed that his party sees a “real chance” of defeating Sarkisian.

Markarian declared last week that his party is now in “positive opposition” to the government. A leading member of Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) scoffed at the remark on Monday.

“Opposition is opposition and government is government,” said Galust Sahakian. “The difference between them is clear.”

A1 Plus carries the full statement after the congress on Monday.

Vahan Hovannisian, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007