Raffi Hovannisian: It is hypocrisy by RPA to be opposition without doing anything (video) (video)

According to Raffi Hovannisian, the chairman of the Heritage Party's political council, despite the fact that the adoption by the US Senate of a resolution recognizing and condemning Armenian Genocide was a geopolitical factor, a counteraction to Turkish behavior, or a domestic American issue, it should be said that it is an American worth.

"This success belongs to everyone - the Armenian community, the Republic of Armenia," Hovannisian stressed. "Of course, we can say that the selection of the time was appropriate - the Turkish conduct, the demeanor of President Erdogan, the Turkish invasion of Syria - all played a role."

In this context, the politician stressed the importance of taking diplomatic and political steps in 2021 "against the treaties of Kars and Moscow," and the adoption of the resolution may be one of the benchmarks by which the Armenian Cause and the Armenian Question can have a successful course.

Referring to Heritage's further role in politics, the politician said that the party is an opposition, and its more pronounced approaches will be visible from January.

"Heritage does not believe that the Republican Party, which has not passed through the atonement, has made no atonement for sins, cannot be a truly democratic opposition," Hovannisian said. "We do not rule out that it can cleanse itself by going through those steps in the future."

But at present, according to him, it is hypocrisy by the RPA to be opposition without doing anything.

At the EPP congress in Zagreb, President of the Council of Europe Donald Tusk, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced the fight against populists.

At the same congress, (EPP observer member - author) chairman Serzh Sargsyan said in his speech that he was accused of relinquishing power to the populists.

Asked if he sees any connection in these speeches, and how the EPP will support the RPA, given that Heritage is also an observer member of the EPP, Raffi Hovannisian said populism has been a continued topic in the EPP, in the center-right ideology.

According to Hovannisian, this ideology was used by its bearing parties in the fight against the Socialists and the Social Democrats.

"The topic of populism is not very convincing for me," Hovannisian stressed. “Politics itself is an arena of populists; that is how it can be said. But if the right center is for more conservatives, I think Mr. Sargsyan's speech was adapted to just coincide with Tusk and other EPP leaders. I think the Republican reign itself was a period of populism, with its domestic and foreign policy, on the Karabakh topics." He also believes that Tusk's presidency will be more democratic and stricter.

In an interview with the Hraparak daily, Robert Kocharyan said that Nikol Pashinyan's statement that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should satisfy all parties to the conflict was "an empty word saying nothing, a simple formula of a mediator."

(Pashinyan says that the resolution of the Karabakh issue must be acceptable to the peoples of Armenia, Karabakh, and Azerbaijan, alike - author).

Hovannisian views Pashinyan's statement as a tactical innovation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict negotiations, and says that if it is introduced in order to put the adversary in a tough spot so that it has no room to maneuver, then it is possible. “Aliyev would not be able to respond, thus trying to emphasize the subjectivity of Artsakh; that's another interesting idea,” Raffi Hovannisian said. “You also want to say who the people of Azerbaijan are. Because we know who the people of Azerbaijan are because Azerbaijan knows that there are many national minorities."

But the politician also notes that a step by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is half a step away from this. He noted that Lavrov is leaving for Azerbaijan in a few weeks, and he does not say "peoples," but "residents."

“"Residents’ already bring in communities, and we are already passing on to the well-known Azerbaijani thesis that, ‘What are the communities saying?’” he stressed. “We have to be very careful. And those advisers around the prime minister and the president have to be very careful when advising so that those very cunning, those clever advices they give in Paris, Moscow, Brussels are interesting at the moment. Tomorrow or the next day, what can they bring from Lavrov's lips, already to Baku? That's why I don't want to say definitely."

Asked whether it would be dangerous for the so-called "Azerbaijani community of Karabakh" to participate in the talks, Raffi Hovannisian said it was a non-existent option.