Լ. Տեր-Պետրոսյանի հանդիպումը «Ագոյի խմբի» ներկայացուցիչների հետ

On March 2, a meeting took place between representatives of the ANC and the delegation headed by EU President in office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.
The EU President presented the current state of cooperation between Armenia and the EU, placing emphasis on the fundamentals of European values and priorities in the relations between EU and Armenia.

ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan spoke about democracy, the defense of human rights and political prisoners in Armenia, and presented the national struggle to restore constitutional order. He underscored the necessity of holding extraordinary presidential and parliamentary elections.

ANC representative Davit Shahnazaryan emphasized the importance of assistance from the international community in releasing political prisoners.
Subsequently, the ANC's approach to the Nagorno Karabagh and Turkish-Armenian issues were presented.

Levon Zurabyan also gave the letters from Armenia's first president to the EU President and to Kathryn Ashton, a highly placed EU representative in external and security policies.
Also in attendance at the meeting were representatives of the ANC office, Avetis Avagyan and Vladimir Karapetyan.

***

Later, on the initiative of the EU delegation, a telephone conversation took place between Spain's Foreign Minister and Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

Armenian National Congress - 100 Steps

PROPOSAL/PROGRAM FOR A SYSTEMATIC REFORM OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLICIES

The Armenian National Congress presents for public consideration ‘100 Steps', a systematic proposal for social-economic reform which has as its fundamental goal the radical reform of the economic system created in Armenia, and the creation of a sustainable economic development with the active participation of the people. The essence of the current system is the ultra concentration of economic resources in the hands of a few oligarchs and their extended families, and the exploitation of state levers to secure that group's extraordinary gains. Illegal tax and customs permissions, monopolies, servicing of the extravagant gains of importers by an artificial evaluation of the Dram and trampling of the rights of property ownership, have caused a dramatic decrease in production and a tragic decrease in export, free market competition, as well as unfounded increase in costs and a general fall in business activities and the economy, bringing about daily worsening of the social-economic condition of the population. The transfer of the basic burden of taxes on small and middle-level business and the arbitrariness of state bodies suffocate business enterprises based on private initiatives, suppresses the population's creative energy and faith in its own strength, bringing about emigration and poverty.

Radical reforms are imperative to change the current situation. Only the mass popular movement which does not depend on or is obliged to the oligarchs, is in a position to come forth, in the name of the people and development of the state, against the current system and with the necessary consistency to actualize such systematic changes. The Armenian National Congress is ready to submit to the judgment of the people a program which shows that the Congress is not simply limited by assurances of political will to pass such reforms, but also has very concrete solutions and mechanisms to actualize those goals.

The proposal for the reform of social-economic policy is presented by the decision of the political council of the Armenian National Congress. The proposal was prepared by the economic committee of the Congress, under the direction of Hrand Bagratyan's scientific leadership, and includes the proposals and observations of the political parties which are members of the Congress.

The document presented below shows only general approaches to social-economic and structural policies. It includes the position of the Congress in fiscal, monetary, financial policy, encouragement of business, and fundamental problems of social policy. Only agriculture from the section on rural economic policy is represented here, bearing in mind the tragic condition created there as a result of the politics of the past 10 years. Policies on economics, public life, and other spheres of governance (industry, trade, services, health, education, science, social security and insurance, environmental protection, tourism, sports, youth, law-enforcement, armed forces, the Judiciary, state and self government) will be published later, one by one.

The central office of the Armenian National Congress thanks the committees on economics, science and education, and health, as well as individual intellectuals and citizens for their participation in the development of the proposal. The Congress also welcomes proposals and observations from citizens, experts, public organizations, and political groups to perfect the proposal. Suggestions and comments may be sent to: Yerevan, Koryun 19A, 4th floor, as well as to economy@anc.am or posted as comments at www.anc.am.

The regime continues to rely on political persecutions as its only means of survival – targeting ordinary people and political and business figures alike. Since the very moment when prominent businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan and his family publicly announced their support for the candidacy of the founder-president of the country Levon Ter Petrosyan, they too became one of the primary targets of the regime’s unlawfulness. The “Bjni” mineral water factory was illegally taken away from them, the circle of their business activities was curbed by imposing various barriers to the maximum possible extent, incurring huge material and moral losses.