Political outcomes of 20 years of Armenia’s independence

PanARMENIAN.Net - With a unanimous national vote, the third Republic of Armenia was born on September 21, 1991, to give the Armenian nation the right to build their future, be the masters of their land and regain statehood.

Like in 1918, the new-born republic had to rebuild the state after the war. If the First Republic will be engraved on the national memory for the Sardarapat victory, so the origin of the Third Republic is certainly bound with the liberation of Artsakh.

Now, when the Armenian public has divided under the influence of various political forces, the unity and belief in the bright future of independent Armenia, which unified the entire Armenian nation in early 1990s, is remembered with nostalgia. The consolidation of the Armenian nation in the years of war, blockade, lack of electricity, food and water was astonishing.

The hardest times, however, came after the war. These were years when the Armenian National Movement led by first President Levon Ter-Petrossian launched a mechanism a internal political struggle where end justified the means, including marring elections, which later became a 'tradition.'

The authorities' attitude towards the Karabakh problem was changing as well. Levon Ter-Petrossian, who came to power on the wave of national struggle for the liberation of Artsakh, appeared ready to sacrifice the victory that claimed thousands of human lives. This was the main reason for his resignation.

Robert Kocharian, then-Prime Minister and former President of Artsakh came to replace Ter-Petrossian at the supreme state post. Former first secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia Karen Demirchyan also returned to politics to unite with new Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and form a powerful coalition. Both fell victim to a terrorist act, when a group of assassins headed by Nairi Hunanyan rushed into the parliament building to shoot dead a number of top political figures. This crime has still many dark spots and it was never revealed whether it was an action planned at the highest level or Hunanyan and his accomplices acted on their own.

President Robert Kocharian managed to stabilize the country, which showed signs of development and two-digit economic growth index.

The political struggle resumed in 2008, when first President Levon Ter-Petrossian came out of the shade to rival presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan. Ter-Petrossian succeeded in uniting the radical opposition what allowed him to come into an open confrontation with the leadership. The ongoing protest actions resulted in severe riots where ten people were killed and hundreds injured.

The internal political tension was doubled by the global financial recession, which badly damaged the Armenian economy and social conditions.

Despite efforts, Serzh Sargsyan's government has failed to settle the March 2008 crisis. The dialogue that was finally launched between the ruling coalition and the Armenian National Congress opposition bloc led by Ter-Petrossian aroused some hope. Those arrested in March 2008 riots were released, alleviating the domestic tension. However, the latest developments, specifically the ANC’s position, prove that the autumn in Armenia will still be hot.

Thus, the Armenian nation has to exert huge efforts to overcome hatred and enmity and restore the remarkable unity of 1991.