We Have Big And Specific Goals to Achieve

Interview with Ashot Bleyan, head of Mkhitar Sebastatsi School

Mr. Bleyan, the current situation is viewed as collapse of the criminal and oligarchic system when the representatives of the governing pyramid is torn by retribution, such as Vardan Ghukasyan’s and Ashot Aghababyan’s mutual swearing and insult. Do you agree?

Please ask the people of Gyumri and Akhuryan. One should not lose the feeling of shame. Do people hear the swearing you mentioned? Are they ashamed of their elects? One can make a mistake while choosing but… The person who appointed Vardan Ghukasyan as mayor and Ashot Aghababyan as member of parliament, who as a subject, solved only one problem – get even the least benefit – has now changed and got the courage for deliverance, for restoring the losses? We’ll see, local elections are drawing nearer. In the longest period of the Armenian history when we were almost 4 million, when material security and higher education were ensured by the soviet state (when was it better?) we had the opportunity for self-determination, expression of our collective creativity in freedom. We have the Republic of Armenia which we created together in 21 years of independence. Do they stop being responsible when they attach labels with the look of a victim?

Are the civil initiatives which got together after the tragedy of Harsnakar predetermining a present with future? You have described our reality as futureless present. Can you see a change?

I am not excited about and I do not overestimate the civil initiative relating to Harsnakar. I am in despair about the expressions of the government’s cynicism and the unserious public attitude over the past year and when a political concoction is used for retaliation against the four youths of the civic struggle Tigran Arakelyan, Artak Karapetyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, Davit Kiramijyan. The continuity of the civil movement which should form a united community of activists is replaced by discrete expressions, which makes me beware. For me the expression of civility is making a choice of job, permanent residence, protection of others’ rights, marriage, head of community, member of parliament, RA president and a citizen who is the creator of the third republic, is responsible for it and its hero.

Mr. Bleyan, do you think the discourse on revolution is urgent or is it necessary to put forth specific demands to the government and thus achieve change?

Urgency of discourse is a subject of journalism. I skip such stories. They are not interesting to me. If voters change, the government will change. It is also true that the government must change to have prospects – enjoy what was there for seven generations. Without grounded ambitions any expression of claims, of individuals or teams, is strange to me.

In your opinion, what happened in the past four years? What was successful, what failed, and what should be done to overcome disappointment?

Why can’t I be disappointed, what is disappointment for Armenians – an exclusive right? Let us refer to Parooyr Sevak – my disappointment is like fainting – it seems long but lasts short. What you mentioned is not disappointment. It may sound pompous but it is like lethargic sleep. After the revival of 1988-1991 the society fell into a lethargic sleep suddenly jumping up in sleep from time to time. Wake up, my dear people, we have big and specific goals to achieve – the individual life of our children and us.