Former NSS director gives interview to Russian Interfax, states about intention to head opposition party based on tradition and progress

Armenia’s former NSS director Artur Vanetsyan in an interview to Russian Interfax said that the political force headed by him will be based on traditions and progress.

“The new political force will have centralized, right centralized direction with traditions and progress being harmonically intertwined in its ideas and programs,” Vanetsyan told Russian media, adding that currently wide-range discussions are being held with associates and possible partners.

“After completing them we will announce our concrete programs and publish the road map of the upcoming actions. The new political force will come forth as an opposition,” Vanetsyan said.

The former official said many issues have gathered in this period in Armenia demanding solutions, while the government has gone far away from the declared goals of the 2018 “velvet revolution.”

He stressed that during the days of the “velvet revolution” and afterwards people were expecting improvement of social conditions, health and education, raise in the level of social services. “They promised but did not do that,” the former director of the NSS said.

“Instead of wide public consolidation without which Armenia cannot overcome the challenges it faces, we had new “trenches” inside, divisions into “blacks” and “whites,” into “formers” and “current,” into “associates” and “not associates” who mercilessly fight against each other in the atmosphere of widespread hatred. The involvement of force institutions in all these developments is a separate topic,” Vanetsyan stated.

The ex-official stressed that Russia was and will keep being Armenia’s strategic partner.

He added that being reliable and predictable partners stems from the interests of the two countries.

Vanetsyan added that Yerevan and Moscow must preserve the potential of the centuries-long brotherly and strategic relations and develop them both in bilateral and in the format of the EAEU and CSTO.

“Many representatives of the current authorities while being an opposition came forth with anti-Russian position, including Nikol Pashinyan who presented bill on Armenia's withdrawal from EAEU. They were stating that EAEU is a threat to Armenia’s sovereignty. Today the same people are not missing the opportunity to emphasize the importance of Armenia’s membership to the EAEU and necessity of boosting cooperation with the organization,” Vanetsyan said, adding that “real policy and populism are incompatible.”

The former NSS director also noted that in 2019 when he stated about resignation the disputes between him and the prime minister became insurmountable.