Today APP is not a parliamentary force any more – what are the moods in the party?

Post-election and pre-election moods.

Have you analyzed the reasons for being left out of NA inside the party?

Naturally, we have the answer to that question. After the elections in 2003, the authorities had aimed at isolating the opposition and especially APP. These elections should be viewed in the framework of this logic. We don’t have any doubts that the published figures have been faked. They were not serious but the fact that APP did not appear in the parliament was unexpected and surprising for everybody. Everything is clear if we regard it in the framework of the logic of the events happening in the country.

Why doesn’t APP apply to the Constitutional Court?

In 2003 we applied to the Constitutional Court. We applied there well-prepared and having all the reasons. And you know that what we had as a result. While talking about our activities, some forces were recalling the case with the Constitutional Court. Now those forces have applied to the Constitutional Court. However, we are not indifferent, having provided Impeachment alliance with our materials. Also, we have offered our help through our representative at the Central Electoral Commission.

APP has not applied to the Constitutional Court because of the bitter experience?

No. Simply, they had already decided to apply, and we just provided our materials. Surely, there is the tactical aspect as well. Any applicant can have 2 representatives at the Constitutional Court, and if there are 3 applicants, many people are present during the discussion of the issue. Well, they don’t want the CEC decision to be adopted and they would like the elections to be annulled but everybody knows how the discussions of such applications related to the elections are ended.

Last week the party secretary Vardan Mkrtchyan left APP; people are also talking about the fact of Stepan Zakaryan’s leaving. How can you comment on the fact of the first persons leaving the party?

It’s about Vardan Mkrtchyan. He has declared he doesn’t want to be involved in politics. This could happen to anyone. Nobody has left the APP board, except for him. A new secretary has been elected in the presence of Vardan Mkrtchyan, thus the evaluations that APP is being ruined do not conform to the reality. Moreover, while there are talks that you can hardly find anyone in oppositional offices after the elections, we have quite another picture: we are here, we come to our office, and the party work goes on.

Vardan Mkrtchyan decided not to be involved in politics as soon as APP failed to enter NA. Isn’t there any fear that other party members might have the same mood as well?

Changes inside the parties can happen at any times. These phenomena take place especially after the elections. Now, it will be wrong to state that nobody will leave. You should not forget tat people have been struggling against the regime for 9 years, and not everybody is able to bear the fight. However, refreshments happen as well.

You said that any person can make a decision on giving up politics. Is it possible for you to make such a decision?

No, that isn’t possible at least for the near future. I have been involved in politics for 25 years already and I am not going to leave it. However, I should note that I am involved in politics out of despair. If know that everything is good in our country, and the future of my children is safe, I will give up politics. And now I will have a rest for a couple of months, will visit Meghri in summer, will be back in September and will go on with my political activities.

Are the oppositionists in the parliament worthy replacement for APP?

Are there any oppositionists?

What about Heritage and Country of Legality?

Heritage has announced that they don’t exclude the possibility of cooperation with the Republicans – are they oppositionists after that? Neither Country of Legality that has passed a road together with the same authorities, nor Dashnaktsutyun will become opposition. I don’t want to say anything – we will see who the real opposition is.

How will APP get prepared for the presidential elections?

We have decided to take part in the upcoming presidential elections and are seriously getting ready for that.

Has it been finally decided that APP will have its own candidate for the elections?

The issue of the format is not clear yet but we think that the opposition should have one common candidate.

Even if that candidate is not Stepan Demirchyan?

Anything is possible.