No businessmen in politics – Armenian politician

Considering the public sentiments, particularly the sentiments amid politicized groups and "Armenian Facebookers," Stepan Safaryan, a Heritage party member, can speak of the circles' struggle against the unacceptable oligarchic rule, without, however, viewing it as a "class adversary.""Some individuals may show hostility. However, if the problem fails to be resolved, I fear it may cause enmity," Safaryan told Tert.am as he responded to a question as to whether the calls for nationalizing oligarchs' property are evidence of hate.In an interview last autumn, the renowned singer Charles Aznavour spoke of mass emigration from Armenia, noting that "oligarchs devoured this country."On the other hand, Manvel Badeyan, a member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), has for months been telling Armenia's mass media that "oligarchs are not bad guys," but are creating jobs and bearing responsibility for the country.Safaryan strongly disagrees with t he ruling party's member. "Oligarch means a person that has political power due to money. So not only in Armenia, but also in no country of the world business and politics must interpenetrate," he said.Number one task now is to debar businessmen from politics, because economic and political systems are different. Otherwise, "there is neither pure politics nor economy, but politicized economy and economized politics," which is the case in Armenia.As to whether Armenia's authorities realize this necessity, Safaryan pointed out a simmering conflict between Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and the West. "Before the parliamentary elections, numerous promises were made that struggle would be waged against oligarchy and oligarchs would not be in parliament. But we have no need to say that the president has not kept his promise," he said.The West set requirements to Armenia's authorities when Armenia entered into negotiations for an association agreement with the European Union (EU) and the Armenia's joining the European People's Party (EPP) was on the agenda.    Read more... (312 words)

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