The election campaign for the upcoming snap parliamentary elections is in full swing. There are eleven political parties and coalition/alliance of parties running for a seat in the country’s National Assembly.

Below we present the main provisions and principles (translated from the original Armenian) from the campaign programs of the following political forces: Bright Armenia, National Progress, Sasna Tsrer, Country of Law, Prosperous Armenia, Citizen’s Decision.  

Read Part I here

The Republican Party of Armenia, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the My Step Alliance.

Bright Armenia Party

The goal of the Bright Armenia party is:

– to build a modern political system facilitating the dynamic development of society,
– to advocate for the development of effective public policies that express the interest of citizens
– to establish institutes based on principles of representative democracy and,
– to secure the necessary conditions/prerequisites to develop those institutes.

Bright Armenia is a party that aims to foster development through advanced and democratic reforms and solutions. Our vision is to have Armenia with equal opportunities and modernized, where the person is the goal and not the means.  

Therefore, Bright Armenia party:

– Following the goal of building a strong, rule of law, social, democratic, safe  and prosperous state, that corresponds to European criteria through sustaining the system of national identity values,

– Taking into account the imperative of urgent resolution of challenges that Armenia faces now,

– Acting solely guided by the national interests of Armenia and national dignity.

In parliament, the Bright Armenia party will undertake, contribute to and implement reforms aimed at:  

– providing the prerequisites for developing a social, rule of law and democratic state,

– symmetric development of state and society, as well as civil society and its different elements,

– providing the foundation for the individual’s happy life though self-realization and development,

– developing and implementing operative, systematic and consolidated strategies on security issues; develop and sustain cultural heritage; develop and sustain various components of a system of national values, including culture, traditions, and language,

– strengthening the economy through introducing and implementing liberal mechanisms,

– introducing new mechanisms of analysis and resolution of current socio-economic challenges of country,

– implementing effective anti-trust laws/policies; eradicate shadow economy,

– developing an environment necessary for creating jobs and competitive economic system,

– eradicating poverty and reducing social injustice,

– developing and implementing demographic policies (birth rate increase, reduction of emigration and creating conditions to promote immigration).

National Progress Party 

The main goal of the National Progress Party is to develop a favorable political-legal environment, where the fully informed and socially protected citizen will be able to practice his civil and political rights and freedoms. Only in this environment will it be possible to comprehensively realize the national potential, especially in the educational and social-economic areas, which will inevitably lead to the unprecedented progress of Armenian statehood.  

NPP considers itself to be a socially-conscious reformist political force created within the framework of Armenian national identity.
NPP will build its relations with social and political forces and individuals based on the principle of National Interests As Priority.

Armenian statehood is the central mechanism through which the goals of the Armenian nation can be achieved, thereby, it is above the narrow interests of any party, group or personal, church, religious, social, political or any other organization. Therefore, the NPP believes, the legal and factual influence of such organizations or parties should be as ineffective as possible in local self-governance, executive and judicial areas of state governance.

The foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia should be centered on the principle of the priority of the country’s national interests; establishing and sustaining mutually beneficial, sustainable and friendly relations with neighboring countries, especially Iran and Georgia. These relations should be immune from conflict and disputes that may arise among regional geopolitical centers.

NPP sees potential economic development in the following industries – private industry (except mining industry), agriculture, higher education, IT sector, service and tourism sectors. NPP aims to use Armenian national potential at its maximum, which envisages full involvement of the Diaspora and citizens from all regions in Armenia under conditions of collegiality, democratic governance and in the absence of any authorities. The program of NPP has short-term and long-term components and is based on these four main principles:

1- Radical improvement of social conditions, as the eradication of extreme poverty and social justice are the prerequisites of state development. Only socially protected citizens can develop the economy and participate in the political life of the country,

2- Provision of access to education and information, as only educated and informed citizens can make conscious decisions and participate in the country’s political life,

3- Removing partisanship from among society, so that state and local governance can avoid conflicts of interest arising from that partisanship,   

4- Access for citizens to mechanisms of direct democracy, so that citizens have real and practical tools to implement their power directly out of state and local governance systems.

Sasna Tsrer

The pan-Armenian Sasna Tsrer party is the successor/heir of years of political and civic struggle and activity (Sardarabat Movement, Pre-Parliament, Founding Parliament, Sasna Tsrer Rebellion).

The Sasna Tsrer pan-Armenian party, foresees the formation of the National Assembly following the December 9, 2018 snap parliamentary elections, as a transitional parliament which after functioning for two years, can create the conditions and prerequisites to secure not only the creation of a “national” state but it’s accelerated development.

The Sasna Tsrer pan-Armenian party presents that section of its election program that, as a transitional program, the soon-to-be-elected parliament can implement:

Rights and Justice

– On behalf of the Armenian state, the newly elected National Assembly should give a legal and political assessment to the activities of the former criminal regime, to record its grave consequences and to ensure the implementation of transitional justice.

– To recognize the natural right to rebellion and to recognize rebels innocent before the law.

– To start an economic and political lustration and based on the results, deprive certain individuals of their right to hold state and local self-government positions, prosecute those who have robbed the country and return the stolen wealth to the people and the state.

– To reconsider or cancel laws that are unlawful or derive from private interests, which have also turned into a tool of oppression against the people (mandatory pension system, red parking lines, high fines and penalties for violating traffic rules, etc.)

– To implement broad amnesty

– To review all the criminal cases related to grave and especially grave crimes against national interests and people, including the cases of those sentenced to life imprisonment, as well as the cases of political prisoners.

– To check the circumstances that have led to the enemy’s attack on April 2-5, 2016, and whether the representatives of the former regime are to blamed.

– To draft and adopt a new Constitution, and based on that a new Electoral Code and a new Law on Political Parties.

Country of Law

2. Strengthening the fight against corruption and theft, returning the money transferred out of country and introducing real mechanisms of countering illegal accumulation of wealth. Transition from wild oligarchic capitalism to democratic and tolerant social economy.

3. Modernization and monitoring of armed forces, gradual transition to professional and service-based army, which means replacing 18 year old soldiers protecting our borders with paid professional military servicemen and modern robo-technic equipment. Modernization of systems of protecting state borders with arms and armaments produced in Armenia. Introduction of scientific methods in army-building.

4. Full return of deposits, including compensation to heirs of depositors.

5. Eradication of vicious system of speedometers and red parking lines by setting the maximum amount of fines at 1000 AMD.

6.Introduction of probation service. Replacement of imprisonment for minor and intentional crimes with civilized mechanisms of administrative control while in freedom.

7. Diversification and development of energy capacities. Development of Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia energy system. Building new atomic energy bloc.   Introduction of modern technologies to use waste, wind, solar, and other alternative sources of energy, as well as development and implementation of policies (based on scientific research) to turn Armenia into a country that produces and exports equipment for the global alternative energy market.

8. Restart: modernization and creation of 20 big industrial plants. Extensive development of IT sector and military industry, introduction of tax and customs privileges, suspension of bankruptcy process of Nairit and Vanadzor Khimprom, development of strategic program of restarting these plants and announcement of international investment tenders.

9. Consistent development of small and medium enterprises. Allocation of production and agricultural loans with low percentage.

10. Peaceful resolution of Artsakh conflict through countering Azerbaijan’s aggressive diplomatic, military and propaganda actions.

Prosperous Armenia Party

The first 15 priority provisions of the Prosperous Armenia Party’s platform are the following:

1- Minimum wage and pensions should guarantee dignified living standards for the citizens of our country. Wages and pensions should be regularly indexed parallel to inflation.

2- Small and medium businesses should not be perceived only as objects of taxation since they provide revenue for the state budget. Around 75,000 business entities and 350,000 employees operate in this sector (excluding agricultural sector). Business entities which have up to 30 million AMD turnover should be exempt from taxes for the first five years.

3- Guarantee equal competitive conditions for all businesses. The Law on the Protection of Economic Competition should be reviewed and a new antitrust law should be adopted.

4- A new system ensuring the security of investments should be designed and a new policy aimed at encouraging new investments should be implemented, as a result of which state bodies will be responsible for every investment, regardless of size.

5- A new Tax Code needs to be adopted, which would define the rules of the game in a simple and clear manner. The existing income tax should be reduced to the basis of the progressive tax rate.

6- The political revolution that took place in April-May of this year should be followed by an economic and technological revolution, which would be possible only if the established rules of the game are guaranteed for a stable and long-term period by the Government. Investors and investments should feel that they have the protection of the Government.

7- Those enterprises that have been privatized on the condition that appropriate investment commitments need to be fulfilled but later the owners did not comply with the requirements, need to be returned to the state in the manner prescribed by law and based on the decision of the court.

8- The new key directions of the economy – production, agrofood, urban development and services sectors need to identified and developed based on experience.

9- The state should provide comprehensive support to individuals and companies involved in agricultural production by promoting the realization of rural products and creation of new markets.

10- It is necessary to recover the credit system by freezing or postponing interest rates, penalties and fines, and write them off in certain cases.

11- Give the priority to local producers in the area of state procurement.

12- We consider it effective to introduce a system of diversifying financial intermediations taking into account special geopolitical and external economic situation in the region, with a focus on attracting new and significant financial means from Eurasian Economic Union countries’ financial institutions to Armenia and then to other financial markets through legal and mutually beneficial schemes.

13- The state has to ensure implementation of clear policies to facilitate organization of export of fruits, vegetables and meat products from Armenia to foreign markets, including Arabic countries. This requires setting special logistic systems to freeze, package and pack products, which will make possible the export of these products by commercial companies on cargo planes.

14- To set 1000 AMD payment for watering 1 h of land from March 1, 2019 onwards for five years.

15- Remove the speedometers and red parking lines from February 1, 2019.

“Citizens Decision” Social Democratic Party

– Adoption of new laws,

– Adoption of legislative changes to enforce amnesty for state authorities who will compensate the losses they caused and to ban the possibility of them taking government positions again,

– Introduction and simplification of direct democracy mechanisms,

– Implementation of transitional justice.

– These changes are necessary to rehabilitate the political life in Armenia and develop new ideological- political options during the upcoming elections.

Culture

We believe it is necessary to revise the role of culture, cultural figures and cultural institutions in society, taking into account principles of justice and tolerance. Art and cultural figures should be fully involved in public life and invest their own professional capacities to analyze and identify perspectives of development.

– revision of cultural policies and strategies, revision of cultural economy,

– protection of cultural heritage.

Natural Resources

– Exclude the possibility of issuing new licenses to exploit metal mines,

– Increase gradually the duties for exploitation of natural resources, payments for recultivation, payments for waste. Implement unyielding policies of pollution management,

– Radically change the system of environmental impact assessments aimed at implementing a policy that is fully scientifically justified.

– Implement a strict policy for the restoration of the Ararat Valley water basin. In collaboration with local businesses, curb the water useage of fish farms by 65 percent

– To manage Lake Sevan resources to correspond to ecological criteria and to highly prioritize environmental status of Sevan,

– To develop a system for monitoring forests. To involve the population living in proximity of forests as main beneficiaries to receive economic benefits from protection of forests. Promote development of eco-business through state capital investments.

– Implement full monitoring and planning land cultivation to exclude degradation and erosion of land.

– To radically reform the legislation related to waste, especially solid waste management. To determine locations of waste landfills based on proper planning, ensuring there is a component of waste recycling,

– Create habitat preserves similar to and based on the example of protected natural reserves. These will allow local residents to benefit financially by preserving the environment rather than abusing it.

– Determine the possibilities of forestation using robust (fast growing) trees for industrial usage.

Aviation

We believe it is necessary to have our own air carrier, taking into account the geopolitical position of Armenia.