Armenia missed another year to make genuine reforms, says opposition MP

When it comes to 2010, Armenia missed another year to make real reforms and improve the situation in the country, according to Armen Martirosyan of the opposition Heritage party.

"It can be said that the country, in fact, lost another year," said Martirosyan, adding that he cannot consider the passing year as a positive one for Armenia.

"Unfortunately, those negative phenomena that exist and are rooted in our government, remained in the passing year too, and we missed another chance to make genuine reforms," he told Tert.am.

Martirosyan also referred to the dire socio-economic situation in Armenia, adding that despite that the Armenian government officials are taking steps that result in a deterioration of living conditions.

As an example Martirosyan recalled the unprecedented surge in food prices and the law on mandatory car insurance which is what he called "nothing but a legalized robbery."

Further, Martirosyan said that the average salary in Armenia is even below the poverty line in Eastern Europe.

"That's when a person has less than an $11 income per day … Our average citizen doesn't receive a salary but a salary of the poor."

Speaking about internal political situation in Armenia, Martirosyan said that no steps were taken to improve the situation.

The fact that A1+ TV channel was not given broadcast license and the existence of political prisoners in the country prove that "the same trends that existed before, remained" as such, which means "nothing was done in terms of democratic reforms."

In foreign policy, according to Martirosyan, Armenia did not have success either as it signed a document in Astana which makes a reference to "returning the liberated territories".

"Because by recalling the documents adopted in L'Aquila and Muskoka, where a reference is made to returning the liberated territories, our authorities, in fact, agreed to that," he explained.
At the same time, Martirosyan expressed regret that the ruling parliamentary coalition boycotted the vote on the draft law by Heritage, proposing to recognize Karabakh. Instead, the parliament adopted a law on international treaties which regards Karabakh as an "unrecognized entity".