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“BOTH OCTOBER 27 AND MARCH 1 ARE DISCLOSED FOR PUBLIC”

Politics

“Neither the terrorist act of October 27 nor the tragic events of March 1 will be disclosed while the authorities wield power in Armenia. Can the regime expose crimes committed by its stooges? Unless the tyranny is overthrown in Armenia no crime will be disclosed as was the case in other dictatorial countries. Stalin's misdeeds were detected after his death, after the collapse of Stalinism,” Armenia's first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan told A1+ on October 27.

In reply to our question why the authorities haven't disclosed the terrorist act of October 27, Levon Ter-Petrosyan said: “For the simplest reason: they were accomplices in the crime and interfered with the inquiry and court verdict.”

Ter-Petrosyan believes that the criminal case of the March 1 events will have the same fate as that of October 27.

With regard to the fact-finding group to look into the events of March 1-2, the first President said, “We shall do our best but our involvement in the group is still under consideration. We shall exert all our efforts but I think it won't be enough as it will be a voice in the wilderness. Decisions will be made by their courts, and the final assessment will be given by their commission.” Nevertheless, according to Ter-Petrosyan, they will do everything possible once they participate in the activity of the group.

“Both October 27 and March 1 are disclosed for the society. We only need to introduce evidence.”

Asked when exactly, the first President said: “When we finally get engaged in the fact-finding group.”

Today Ter-Petrosyan reminded the requirements posed by the Council of Europe in relation to the fact-finding group. “They set three requirements. The group should be independent, transparent and reliable. Two of these requirements are violated. Firstly, the group established by the Presidential decree immediately reports to the parliamentary ad-hoc commission. Secondly, the fact-finding group is not transparent as its activities shouldn’t be made public. And yet, the group instills confidence as the proportion is guaranteed although not fully as there isn’t a third side as was arranged beforehand.”

By saying a third side Ter-Petrosyan meant international experts. “It was earlier decided that the fact-finding group will recruit equal representatives from Serzh Sargsyan’s team, my team and CoE experts. I have had a long conversation with the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg about the fact-finding mission. This group was to replace the NA ad-hoc commission. Nevertheless, we have overcome many hardships.”