R E S O L U T I O N

of the Heritage Party’s Fifth Congress

11 July 2008
Yerevan

Heritage, a national liberal party,

Being conscious of and concerned with the status quo of Armenian governance, the partisan objectives and interests of the current authorities, the deep crisis which followed the presidential elections, the serious threats posed to the republic’s international standing, and the inevitable consequence of dishonoring  agreements made with international bodies and standards,

Accepting as its basis both parliamentary and non-parliamentary, nationwide and international efforts—the fruits of which the current administration, lacking political will or courage, has denied to the body politic—and the imperative of Heritage and its parliamentary group to surmount the reigning crisis with systemic reforms,

Standing accountable to its responsibility before the countless citizens of Armenia who have placed their faith and trust in it, its role as the sole opposition force in Armenia’s parliament, and its national mission to represent the interests of a considerable number of opposition members who are not represented in the National Assembly, and,

Gaining power and purpose from the principle that authority belongs to the people and that all political and state figures must work for the protection of the rights and liberties of the people of Armenia,

affirms for the record:

1. The presidential elections, which were held in Armenia on 19 February 2008, and the ensuing events demonstrated that Heritage’s assessment of our political system made during its fourth congress in 2006 have remained unchanged in 2008 and, in several domains, have proven to be even too optimistic. The persistence of such a political environment is detrimental to one and all. As its demands for the restoration of law and democracy have been quashed, our society has lost its patience with the current administration, which has proven to be incapable of effective governance and of yielding power in the event of an election defeat.

2. The democratization of Armenia’s political, economic, and social systems, and the implementation of democratic rules still are imperatives which must be attended to without delay. No economic reform proposed by the authorities can be meaningful and permanent if it is not combined with political and systemic improvements. The failure to illuminate the March 1 tragedy by means of an independent and impartial investigation, as well as the continuing incarceration of political prisoners—even when real economic and anti-corruption reforms are being implemented—will ensure that the societal distrust toward the authorities will continue. So long as Armenia’s democratic establishments are not awakened from their state of dormancy and ineptitude, the rules of the game remain unfair, the criminals remain unpunished, and officialdom remains incapable of conducting a legal and political assessment of its own administrative agencies and state servants. That this fundamental flaw stands uncorrected means that our society is still in danger of another March 1 calamity.

3. Throughout the years past, Armenia’s incumbent authorities have demonstrated their unwillingness to resolve the problems that festered between them and their own people, as well as the international organizations whose standards and expectations they dishonored. The administration’s small, imitational, and artificial steps, which were taken to fulfill a variety of motives and with the intention of appeasing societal and international pressures, show that such authorities will be unable to implement the systemic reforms that will be necessary to face future security challenges—for Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh alike.

4. Good standing and political will—both of which are required by Armenia if it is to address the multitude of problems which are keeping it in isolation and Mountainous Karabagh in the captivity of unrecognized status—are incompatible with the qualities and merits of today’s administration. The resolutions concerning Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh that were adopted in recent years by different international instances have attested to the fact that the great desire by certain individuals to maintain power at any cost has reached such levels that national issues now are buried in oblivion while political adversaries, who take advantage of this situation, are able to coax the international community into positions against our national and state interests.

Based on the aforesaid evaluations, Heritage’s fifth congress:

1. Pledges that the party will remain true to systemic reforms, and it will continue to serve as a political force which spares no effort in carrying out this most important mission.

2. Declares as the pivotal components of Heritage’s guidelines:
a) Involvement in all national and political processes by way of achievable and total participation and, if necessary, employment of all lawful means of political battle;
b) A permanent, undisrupted, and reciprocal bridge with the voters and citizens by means of continuous support and integration—from the party’s leaders to its ordinary members and supporters—with the people;
c) Partnership with the non-parliamentary opposition;
d) Collaboration with all forces on the political spectrum which share the aim of generating sound initiatives that are in the interest of the nation, the state, the society, and the citizen;
e) Application of uniform standards to all political forces and, at the same time, strict and principled opposition to artificially formed commissions of inquiry;
f) Permanent openness and transparency before the media; and
g) Strong partnership with all constituents of civil society, including NGOs.

3. Upholds the imperative of political and social contact with citizens and voters.

4. Requests that its newly elected executive board ascertain, by way of negotiation and consultation, the mutually acceptable platform for the party’s cooperation with the newly formed Armenian National Congress, as well as the framework of issues and forms of partnership.

5. Commissions its parliamentary group with introducing, in the fall session of the National Assembly, a comprehensive reforms package, which shall be in line with the Heritage Governing Council’s decision reached during its special meeting on May 30 and with the “Summary Program of Priority Reforms” which the party had proposed.

6. Authorizes the Heritage Governing Council to discuss, during its special session in January 2009, the value and efficiency of Heritage’s future involvement in the activities of the National Assembly and to reach a relevant decision.

11 July 2008
Yerevan