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Opinion: We had the most obsequious text compared to the Declarations of Independence of Georgia and Azerbaijan

Politics
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Armenia’s independence in the hands of the ‘independents,’ people who were communists and do not bear these values. “Independence Movement of the 90s can in no way be not compared with today's situation. The Institute of Presidency was destroyed in order to prolong Serzh Sargsyan's power, but in parallel we have a young generation, which is the present and future of this country,” Aram Manukyan, Vice-Chairman of Armenian National Congress (HAK), said on Sept. 20. Human rights activist Vardan Harutyunyan recalls the struggle of the Soviet years. “We must not only keep our independence but also develop it. It was not easy [for Armenia] to proclaim independence from the Soviet Union, we had losses. Independence itself is not a value, conditions for development should be created in the state. Democratization of Armenia will be a difficult process; our country is in the hands of people, who do not perceive the idea of independence. Our path of struggle will not be easy but we can pass the way with these young people,” he said. Public figure Davit Sanasaryan says Armenia refuses its independence in favor of Russia. “They [authorities] join the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU in one night) when nobody expected them to do such a thing. There are a lot of examples. Under the rule of such uncouth authorities people can only think about their stomachs. The idea of independence is not perceived in due way.” Arsen Kharatyan, Chief Editor of the Armenian-language platform of Georgian-based Aliq Media, says even in 1918 Armenian figures did not fully understand the idea of independence. “Compared to the Declarations of Independence of Georgia and Azerbaijan, we had the most obsequious text. While they were proud to become independent, Armenians said since the Transcaucasian Federation [a short-lived state established in 1917 after the Bolshevik seizure of power] was disappearing, Armenia was forced to become an independent state. The approach is felt even today.”