ArmInfo. In an interview with ArmInfo reporter, NKR Presidential candidate, Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan spoke about the main priorities, goals and objectives of his election campaign, Artsakh-Armenia relations, election campaigning and much more.
- Mr. Mayilyan, tell us about the features of your election program.
The peculiarity of our program comes from our view of the current realities of our state. We believe that the current political system of Artsakh does not comply with the imperatives of the time and restrains the development of our country. A significant degree of fusion of the public administration system with business is starting to pose a serious threat to national security. The decision-making system in such circumstances cannot correspond to the interests of society and the state. Many important events of recent years are evidence of the inefficiency of this approach. We cannot afford to continue to maintain the practice described. All our reforms will proceed and the tasks of changing the realities I have described.
- What goals and objectives do you set for yourself?
The key objective of our reform program is the task of legal regulation of the spheres of political and economic activity. Our goal is to eliminate the mechanisms of capital dictatorship over political structures and state institutions. By adopting a number of interconnected laws, we plan to create mechanisms for protecting property, which will eradicate the motives of large owners to acquire parliamentary mandates and government posts at any cost. Business and entrepreneurial activities should be legislatively and effectively separated. Political parties should also not be dependent on the financial capabilities of large owners. There should be no shadow mechanisms of influence on free elections. The foregoing does not mean that facts of illegal enrichment at the expense of budget funds will be ignored. No one can deny the presence of injustice in the socio-economic life of our country. As part of the legal protection program for property and entrepreneurship, the task of returning illegally acquired capital on the basis of separate judicial decisions will also be solved. Property cannot be firmly protected if society does not recognize the legality of this property. Only a fair distribution of national wealth can create an atmosphere of harmony in society. We set ourselves the task of creating such an atmosphere in the country. This program can be arbitrarily called an economic amnesty under rather stringent conditions for compensation for damage caused to society.
- From your point of view, what is the priority - reunification with Armenia, or independence?
The fact of legal blurring of relations between the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh is currently creating ever deeper problems for our people. We are dealing with political and legal dissonance. The joint decision of the Supreme Council of Armenia and the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh, dated December 1, 1989, which is preserved in the Declaration of Independence of Armenia, against the background of the NKR Declaration of Independence of 1992, does not regulate the legal framework of relations between official Yerevan and Stepanakert. The citizens of Artsakh are essentially deprived of many political rights. These issues have not been discussed for a long time. Accordingly, the atmosphere of irreconcilable confrontation of opinions among the Armenian public remains. We intend to seriously address this issue.
-The society of Armenia is very interested in the question: why ex-Minister of Defense Samvel Babayan decided to support you in your election campaign. Please tell us more about this. Why do you think Babayan decided to support you?
In fact, the main part of the question should be addressed to Samvel Babayan. He has spoken out more than once about his decision. We have a common desire to carry out fundamental reforms in the country and create an effective management system that will be able to meet external and internal challenges. In addition, more than twenty thousand people recently supported the initiative to return the ex-defense minister to current politics. I could not ignore their willingness to hold my candidacy. These are our citizens, and their opinion is important to me. Moreover, there are no special disagreements between my election program and the program of the United Homeland party.
- Recently, you and the representatives of your team have been associated with the Soros Foundation. How do you comment on this circumstance?
There are no people in our political team who receive grants from the Soros Foundation, and this foundation has never interacted with Artsakh non-governmental organizations. The theme of the Open Society Foundation, as it seems, has long been the basis for purely domestic political platforms of many politically active groups. It has nothing to do with the activities of this fund. Politicians without any constructive ideas simply create images of subversive forces behind their rivals. This is an operation planned in the style of the Soviet KGB to discredit political opponents. First, an information campaign is conducted to demonize Soros and his funds, then attempts are made to put the label of "Soros" on objectionable figures. These attempts are in vain, for the simple reason that I have never collaborated with the Open Society Foundation.
During my career as an independent expert, I took part in research and peacekeeping projects supported by the European Union. The authors of the defamation operation have a bad opinion about our people. The calculation is made on the fact that people are not able to distinguish the Open Society Foundation from one of the main partners of the Republic of Armenia - the European Union. Relations between the European Union and Armenia are built on the basis of a comprehensive and expanded partnership agreement between the European Union and Armenia, which was signed on the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels in November 2017.
-How do you estimate your chances to win the race?
Very high. Communication with citizens increasingly strengthens confidence in victory.
-Thanks for the interesting conversation, Mr. Mayilyan.