Democracy in Armenia is irreversible: Acting PM

Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with representatives of the Armenian community in Astana, prime minister’s press service reports.

Armenians of Astana as well as other towns of Kazakhstan arrived to attend the meeting.

Addressing the present, the acting PM said that after such meetings with the compatriots in different counties he regrets that the really powerful potential of the nation is not being used fully.

“Revolution has occurred not only in Armenia but in the conscious of all Armenians and its outcome should be the full usage of the all-national potential for empowering the homeland,” he said.

“Our chief issue was failure to define joint goals. Different sectors of our nation acted separately. We need to define a common goal and focus all our forces for reaching it,” he said, adding that the revolution has given new energy, new enthusiasm to be able to make Armenia a powerful country able to defend itself, develop, be attractive for investors and for people to live in.

He also stressed that the revolution resulted in repatriation.

After the speech Pashinyan answered the questions of the representatives of the Armenian community relating to country’s economy, health, tourism, tax sectors.

A number of Armenian businessmen expressed readiness to start business in Armenia.

“The New Armenia has created new opportunities and it depends on your wish to use it or not,” he said, adding that the new business opportunities, the freedom to start business will not become a reality until people make use of this opportunity.

He stressed that hence there is no impediment of starting business in Armenia.

Pashinyan also stressed that the government aims at creating map of world Armenians to see what potential it has.

“It is complicated but very important work. We must unite the whole potential of the people,” he said.

Speaking about political situation in Armenia, Pashinyan stressed that the democracy in Armenia is irreversible.

“No dictatorship may be in Armenia any more. The democracy in our country is irreversible. The mass media in the country has never been as free as it is today. The most important change is the people’s perception of their role. The greatest impression the foreigners get in Armenia is from people. They say Armenia is like one big family. This is the most important change that has happened in the country. We are a democratic country,” he said adding that the most destructive thing in Armenia’s political system was the creation of false opposition which he said happened after 1998.

“We will not choose that way. We are not going to create artificial opposition. In the upcoming snap parliamentary elections the people will decide who the authorities will be and who the opposition,” he said.