Armenian political leadership found themselves in an unpleasant situation
18:20, September 6, 2016 | News, Other news
We had an interview with Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor
Political scientist Stepan Grigoryan, Chairman of Center on Globalization and Regional Cooperation NGO, was banned entry to Russian Federation till 2030. What does this mean and what consequences can it have? What is going to happen to the public figures with alternate positions opposing those of the Kremlin?
Here, we have not an alternative to the Kremlin position but rather a position openly critical of the Kremlin policy. And if we take a look at the policy of the Russian authorities for at least the past 15 years, of course, we can see that it isn’t the first time that Russian Federation has banned entry to different people, diplomats and politicians. But as for Stepan Grigoryan’s case, it’s the first time that Russian Federation has banned entry to a national of a country considered its strategic ally and a member state of the CSTO and CIS apparently applying the legal regulation so far applied against the representatives of the public sector of its own country. I mean the restrictions imposed on the individuals considered persona non-grata in Russian Federation from the entities cooperating with the international organizations. In fact, it’s the 1st time this regulation has been applied to a non-Russian national, a public figure, a chairman of an NGO. And the key message is that Russian Federation has already started imposing its regulations on the post-Soviet states. We should take note of the fact that especially in recent times Stepan Grigoryan has been known to the international diplomatic circles for his openly critical attitude and evaluation of the Russian policy both in the context of the domestic events in Armenia and in the international context. And it’s obvious that because of his views the person is prosecuted and restricted in his free movement and furthermore, this restriction is illegal also in the context that RA and Russian Federation have visa-free regime. In other words, Armenian and Russian citizens may enter this state without a visa.
Besides, a gross violation of the international humanitarian law is obvious since Stepan Grigoryan wanted to enter the country not to attend a conference or any other event, i.e. he didn’t want to enter the country for his professional activity but rather to visit his parent’s grave. And he told this to the Russian border-guard service. By this step, Russian Federation most likely gives a message to the Armenian authorities on what to do and how to treat the persons criticizing Russia’s official policy and that Russian Federation will start applying the regulations established and applied on its territory in the CIS or CSTO, or so-called satellite states.
And here, of course, it’s the Armenian authorities that have to take the key step depending on how they react. As already known, the Armenia’s Embassy in Russia sought explanation from the Russian authorities. We don’t know how consistent they would be in seeking fulfillment of the demand, what response they will receive and what position will be assumed by the Armenian foreign agencies given that Putin awarded Edward Nalbandian an Order of Peoples’ Friendship. Will now Edward Nalbandian consider Russia a friendly state in terms of this fact and won’t he protect the rights of his country’s national for the Russian-Armenian friendship, or will he anyway act in his official capacity and be consistent in protection of an RA national’s rights? Time will show this, but I think Edward Nalbandian and Armenia’s political leadership found themselves in a very awkward situation as this is such a strange fact and precedent that will make it clear whether the Armenian authorities will again act as Kremlin dictates and ignore the rights of their nationals or whether they will obey the Russian demands and begin to apply those regulations against the public and political figures and human rights activists in RA as well. Now the ball is in the field of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
That is to say this will be a decisive test for the authorities?
Definitely, this is a decisive test where Edward Nalbandyan should either remain loyal to his Order of Peoples’ Friendship or as a Foreign Affairs Minister remain loyal to his official functions and protection of the rights of RA nationals.
How do you assess the reaction of the authorities in recent days?
As far as I know, at least deputy ministers expressed their adequate concerns and took certain actions, but we also know that in many cases the concerns of officials of that level regretfully have no decisive role. It is decisive what orders are issued by Kremlin to Baghramyan 26 and to what extent these orders are carried out in this case.