Aravot: NGOs not ‘apple of the eye’, but their rights should not be limited

The editor of ‘Aravot’ paper wrote in connection with the recent remarks of Russian ambassador to Armenian Ivan Volynkin: “Let us set aside the question about whether an ambassador accredited to a country has the right to give advice on adoption of a law in that country. For justice’s sake, we should note that Mr. Volynnkin’s colleague – John Heffern seems to have displayed too much interest in the law on accumulative pensions. In this case the following question is more important: Do we, Armenian citizens, want a law limiting the rights of NGOs to be passed in Armenia, after the example of Russia?

I should say at once that 90% of our citizens take no interest in this issue. They just want to live well. 5% support it: first, they support any restriction of freedom, secondly, they see “intrigues of the West” everywhere. 5%, including me, are against - I think such laws actually protect the authorities, rather than the state. I should add that the NGOs disliked by Ambassador Volynkin are not apple of my eye. They indeed go the limit, trying to ‘catch dirt’. But this is not harmful to our state. The restriction of their activities is harmful”.