- Mr. Baghdasaryan, serious tensions regularly take place between the coalition member- parties, and, as a rule, one of the parties is permanently “Orinats Yerkir” (Rule of Law). How do you explain that?

- Orinats Yerkir is a political party requiring reforms and making them within the power. We’ve come to power to change something, change to good, bright and we’re working for the sake of reforms, but not against the principle of changes. It’s not always that the new ideas, programs or approaches brought forward are comprehensible for another person. The coalition is not one party; it’s different parties, which can have viewpoints like each other, as well as differing from each other. This is an ordinary, working process.

- Till now the coalition was motivating all inner-coalition problems with a circumstance of having ideological contradictions. Don’t you think that ARF-Rule of Law public dispute taken place recently is much more serious, as Romik Manukyan, Shirak marz Governor, presented rather serious accusations to your party members?

- No, I don’t think and I stated about that, as well as Hrant Margaryan, head of ARF Dashnaktsutiun. The problem was personal, but not political, and, in fact, the long gone all bilateral inquiries were repeatedly fully commented.

- You continuously claim that it is not compulsory to implement power shift at all for recording serious progress in Armenia, and it is possible to reach it through reforms. There are a lot of accusations, and marz governor R.Manukyan was not the only one that accused the Rule of Law for the mania of including members of Rule of Law in different institutions of the city and marzes. Are these approaches of Rule of Law included in your indicated reform programme?

- A lot of accusations haven’t been heard. A state service system functions in our country, where people are accepted to work by competition. It means that we can’t get a job for the people in different institutions, and if there are talks then there are groundless. What refers to political and conceptual posts, then it’s before everybody’s eyes. Yes, Rule of Law is for the reforms, and various reforms are already carried out. The drawbacks and omissions, however, are more, about which we say out loud. But you can’t go forward only speaking.

The actions are more important than merely the criticism. That’s why we are guided by the principle of good to good, bad to bad, so that’s why we not only criticize the existing drawbacks, but also propose solutions, being part of power we implement them also within the limits of possibilities.

- After expressing against the bill on amending the Law on Administrative Offences, your brother had problems with the employees of State Inspection. They say that if you didn’t interfere from Benelux, the problem could become more complicated. In reality what had happened, as there were talks that the authorities tried to prove you in that way that the offences, first of all, make also your surrounding and there is no need to sound abstract and populist accusations from NA tribune.

- In Armenia everybody knows everybody, and knows everybody’s surrounding, knows very well who’s in what, whose surrounding is involved in what. Comments, as they say, are irrelevant. I never sound abstract and populist accusations, what refers to my speech on the concrete topic, then I received hundreds of letters and telephone calls as a sign of gratitude.

- By the way, there were several accusations in connection with that in the press: first, that your brother’s BMW X5 car has been with darkened glasses, what is prohibited by law, and after conducting checks in the penal square it was found out that technical number of the engine of the car was falsified. All this, according to press, was shot for “02” programme but it hasn’t been shown yet. What will you say about this?

- I mention immediately that what was said doesn’t correspond to the reality; moreover, I don’t want to comment every rumour. Regarding the press, I haven’t come across with such publication, and second, my brother has no BMW X5 car.

- Mr. Baghdasaryan, you ensured that if there aren’t serious amendments in the above-mentioned law, then the Rule of Law will be against it. There were no amendments, but judging from your speeches you aren’t displeased. By what is conditioned the softening of your stance?

- There were amendments, and of great principle, in result of which more than two dozens of proposals were passed. The main speakers, Ararat Mahtesyan, the First Deputy of the Police and Davit Harutyunyan, Justice Minister announced about that. By the way, today in the State Inspection, nevertheless, reforms began, for which the basic law on the Road Traffic passed by us will serve as basis. We’ve been and remain of the opinion that the system of state inspection complying with European standards is necessary for us. I’m sure that this law will serve for making reforms. Eventually, we could also keep silence, we don’t speak about ourselves, we speak about the protection of 300000 drivers’ interests.

- Mr. Baghdasaryan, Aram Karapetyan announced that in future the opposition will have joint rallies, which eventually will result in power shift. He assures that after coming to power he’ll return the deposits during two years, what despite the promise, you didn’t succeed. Is it possible for you to cooperate with the opposition around this problem and join the rallies?

- Rule of Law has been and remains in an opinion that the deposits should be returned to the people and testifies the international experience. More than a dozen of countries returned the deposits and we are also obliged to do that. It’s another problem that Rule of Law is not even one fourth of the power. It’s not capable to solve this problem, and the joint work of all political forces: power, opposition is necessary. Eventually, I’m not taking home those deposits to my place, nor the Rule of Law: the deposits should be returned to the people, that’s why everybody will be consistent for that.

Today, certain people or forces say that as if the Rule of Law offers 30 USD to 1000 rubles, that’s why we’re against it. I officially announce that neither Rule of Law nor anybody said such thing, thus, we don’t need to fish in troubled waters. It’s evident that nothing will remain in the murder will out and everything will be revealed, who fulfills whose order, why, for what purpose or in what why.

- There are talks that in making change of power in future you’ll cooperate with Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party. By the way, they also say that the US high-ranking officials wish you to join the opposition and establish democracy in the country. Do this news correspond with the reality?

- The Rule of Law is one of the political forces in Armenia adhering democracy. For me democracy means law and power of law, free competitive economy, country deprived of clan revelations and corruption, open, free and tolerant society. That’s why I say that one should his/her country, then – the power. The people or forces, who love the country, should do everything to see it democratic. And that road is rather difficult road, and all those people, who wish to build such a country, are our supporters.

LILIT SEYRANYAN