Allied relations are not about love, but about interests, says Russian political scientist

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS. Russian political scientist Sergei Markedonov doesn’t link the recent events in Armenia’s domestic political life with maidan or any other case, but emphasizes their domestic Armenian nature, reports Armenpress.

During a Yerevan-Moscow video conference on May 3, Sergei Markedonov said he will arrive in Yerevan soon to follow the process of events.

He presented some views, which, according to him, are important for the Russian audience. “All mass campaigns in post-Soviet states are usually considered as similar to maidan or that they are a copy of Ukrainian events. But I absolutely do not agree with this as it’s not the first year I am studying Armenia. I can state that this country has a rich experience of protests which has nothing to do with the Kiev events of 2014-2015, and it has its driving forces and preconditions”, the political scientist said.

As for the ongoing events in Armenia, the political scientist said preconditions existed for that – being unsatisfied with the socio-economic situation, presence of monopolies and etc. He said during the ongoing rallies it was emphasized that the partnering relations with Russia will be maintained. “The leader of protests Pashinyan was stating that the Russian vector remains, but there are some nuances, problems. But these problems always emerge between allies, there is no need to afraid of them. The allied relations are not about love, but about interests. The interests can coincide or not, but the important is to be able to bring them to the same field and qualitatively work on this path”, he said.

The political scientist attached importance to the maintenance of constructive approach in the bilateral relations as these relations are not being built across faces, but across political, economic and cultural issues.

On April 23, at 16:00, Armenia’s Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned as widespread protests entered the 11th day. On the same day, as required by law, the government resigned.

First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan was named acting PM at an emergency Cabinet meeting.

After nearly 9 hours of debates on electing a Prime Minister on May 1, with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan being the sole candidate, the Armenian parliament failed to make the election as 56 lawmakers voted against and 45 lawmakers voted in favor.

The second round of the election for Prime Minister will take place May 8, at 12:00 in the Armenian parliament.

The ruling Republican Party (RPA) announced that they will not nominate a candidate for PM and will support the candidate nominated by the 1/3 of the total MPs.

Tsarukyan, ARF and Yelk factions announced endorsing Pashinyan’s candidacy.

Yelk faction MP Ararat Mirzoyan announced that the signatures necessary for nominating Pashinyan’s candidacy for PM are already collected. Signatures of 35 MPs were required for his nomination.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan