Vanetsyan rules out cooperation with authorities, rejects 'marginal' opposition role

Homeland Party leader Artur Vanetsyan said he has no intention of becoming a “marginal" opposition figure and categorically ruled out any cooperation with the current authorities, stressing that his party remains firmly opposition-minded while taking a balanced approach to policy.

“We are a clearly opposition party with opposition views, but we also have a balanced approach to different issues,” Vanetsyan said in an interview on Monday. “I have no desire to become a marginal opposition figure or cooperate with the authorities.”

Vanetsyan said the Homeland Party has a concrete program it is offering to voters and intends to continue on its own path. He noted that during meetings with citizens he often hears an “axiomatic truth” that the government is bad and has destroyed everything, followed by questions about what his party would do differently if it came to power.

“The first thing is a combination of major efforts, a whole package,” he said. “You can’t do just one separate thing and expect everything to be fine.”

Vanetsyan said restoring Armenia’s security would be his party’s top priority. “The most important factor for development is long-term security, which, unfortunately, does not exist today,” he said. “That so-called peace the authorities tout is very fragile and can collapse at any moment. There is no peace through blackmail.”

He argued that when some steps taken by Armenian authorities displease Azerbaijan and its President Ilham Aliyev, “they immediately threaten war”, while the Armenian government “starts justifying itself, saying it is forced to act that way for the sake of peace”.

According to Vanetsyan, such an approach offers only short-term stability. “We need long-term security guarantees. That is the first thing we must ensure when we come to power,” he said.

He added that legislative reforms would also be essential. “We need the right legislative changes so people can live, create, develop, earn income, study and stay healthy, and so pensioners can live decently on their pensions,” Vanetsyan said. “That is the program we must implement and discuss it with the people. That is what the public expects.”