Hrant Melkumyan: the EU Should Take the Territory of NKR Under Its Auspices

• 05.01.2015, 23:51
•  NKR,  Interview

"Armedia" Information, Analytical Agency presents an exclusive interview with Hrant Melkumyan, who leads the proportional election list of the  Communist Party of NKR.

- Mr. Melkumyan, how would you assess the ongoing election campaign? Are all conditions provided for holding transparent and legitimate elections?

- First of all I should mention that no elections can be just, as in any case administrative leverages are being used. As for me, it is difficult to say whether elections are just or not, as all the parties equally, with equal rights carry out propaganda. In the villages, the heads of the municipalities, who are subject to the state, "have closed doors"  for almost all political parties and do not let the people do their agitation. Overall, everything is going well, in accordance with the standards of the Central Election Commission,  with paid and free system.

- How would you describe the importance of NKR Parliamentary elections? According to you, can these elections secure progress in the NKR democratization process?

- As the 70% of the parties and the deputies is not being changed, I do not expect any progress. We have a deputy, who has for the fourth time been elected. There is a process of stagnation, there is nothing new, there are no new people, we see the same deputies. If different opposition parties are not elected, the parliament would become "one wing." The "one wingness," as you know, does not contribute to any development, just vice versa, it makes stand on the place.

- How much will the elections impact the change of the perceptions of the international community and the developments of foreign relations? Can we expect more efforts after the elections on increasing the subjectivity of NKR.  

- As long as the political parties of NKR do not have international recognition, the solution of that problem would be a little bit hard. In 185 countries there is a communist party, in many countries there are parliament factions, let alone in the communist countries – in China, Cuba, etc. The first secretary of our party is elected as the Communist Party Central Committee candidate. The Democratic Party of Artsakh has just recently been recognized by Europe. Other parties do not have international recognition. The political forces should strive for international recognition, then on state level initiate creation of a platform, where they would act together for increasing the subjectivity of NKR.

If the European Union wants to establish peace here, then it should temporarily, before the final solution of NKR issue, take the territory of NKR under its auspices and in that territory establish European laws. If they want to avoid war here, this should be done. Given that all EU countries are members of NATO, there will not be any question of war. This is our wish, and the threat of war in such case will be on a minimum level.

- What is your vision of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement?

- Our aim is that the OSCE not only come up with suggestions, but also make them be realized. If this is not done, there will be no progress in this issue. This is quite a complicated issue.

The other important issue is that Turkey should not be in any way involved in this conflict. There is a threat, that it Turkey intervenes, the process will never have a positive solution, as we know well Turkey’s position on the question. I think, if there is no Turkish factor, it would be much easier to negotiate and solve this question.

The negotiation process is important because it prevents the re-start of war. However, this question needs a fair solution. This is almost the same as when the West continuously gives promises to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but until now it has not done so. The same is with the Karabakh question. They always promise to solve it, but do not solve.

- What are the main peculiarities of your party compared to others?

- In several questions there are some similarities. Except Dashnaktsutyun, the social programs of all political parties are almost the same as those of the Communist Party. The Communist Party does not need mere figures, we need to raise the living standards of our people. Our election platform shows all the mechanisms to fulfill this.