Yerevan’s Freedom Square will host a regular rally of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) on September 9, after almost a month’s pause.
As opposed to previous demonstrations, this one will proceed amid the deadlocked political dialogue and looming perspective of ANC’s open confrontation with authorities.
Today’s rally will mark the beginning of a hot political autumn in Armenia mentioned by all political forces. This event has long been mused by the ANC supporters who conditioned their silence by waiting for September. It is supposed to demonstrate the power of the Congress and force concessions from the authorities.
ANC’s demand in the talks with the ruling coalition was holding pre-term presidential and parliamentary elections which the authorities are not likely to agree upon.
According to Stepan Safaryan, Heritage party deputy, the dialogue largely advertised by the two sides turned into a “national reading.” People are ironic towards coalition-ANC working group meetings, with ANC citing their 80-page document to on the necessity of snap election, followed by authorities’ 130-page document, proving pre-term elections unnecessary. This is why the incident involving ANC supporters serves as a favorable excuse to withdraw from the process, which was only leading to a slump in ANC’s reputation. Interestingly enough authorities made some concessions at the beginning, releasing many of the detainees. However, Tigran Arakelyan is kept under custody, thus formally causing ANC to suspend the dialogue.
Today’s demonstration is supposed to demonstrate ANC ability is able to gather enough people to make authorities return to negotiations on ANC's conditions. The demand for snap elections, leaves no room for maneuvering and concessions. Unless satisfied, beginning of ANC’s decline will be marked. They will lose their role as the key oppositional force in Armenia’s political arena. Which mean, ANC will have to prepare itself for regular elections, which has long been named as inevitable by coalition representatives.
