Tweet
Candidate for the president of the
Republic of Armenia
STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN
Pre-electoral basic provisions
It is obvious that the country needs changes. To say there's no alternative to the current policy is the same as to say there is no alternative to permissiveness and illegality, corruption and despotism, impunity and irresponsibility, hopelessness and immorality.
This denotes that one should cope with the social polarization, with the overwhelming clan system, with despair and poverty, with undisclosed political murders, with the disunity of the society, with the extending gap between people and the authorities.
We stand before decisive choice - to either leave it however it is or unite the society, restore people's belief in its own strength and create such a state, which will ensure welfare for its citizens, as well as security, which will respect their rights and guarantee social justice. For that purpose, we consider it necessary to realize a complex program, which includes the following provisions:
In the Sphere of State Governance
· To confirm hegemony of law in all aspects of social life, to extirpate permissiveness and despotism as far as the revelation of both October 27 and other political crimes committed against the state is concerned, to ensure order and legality in the country. To struggle against corruption, as well as clan and black economy not just verbally but in practice.
· To fill the idea of statehood with contents, to eliminate the existing mistakes. The state governance system should become an imperishable value for each subsequent president and a pledge of guaranteed future of the country. To see such distribution of power that different branches of power do really and mutually counterbalance each other, thus contributing to the establishment of a civil society, jural state.
· To realize reforms guaranteeing independence of court volition. Only true independent court system can be a basis of legality, citizens' rights and liberties protection in the country. Independent court system also has important economic significance. It is, in fact, a guarantee and a prerequisite for realizing necessary investment in the country.
· Human rights are not protected in our country. There is no sphere where a citizen would feel the presence of state. At the same time, permissiveness exists everywhere. In our case, it is not power for man, rather man for power. To increase the responsibility of the authorities before people.
· It is necessary to revise the republic's administrative-territorial division, driven by the purpose of drawing the power near to people. The reforms in territorial administration and local government systems should be realized through appointments of the bodies by election, increase of economic self-dependence by ensuring wide latitude.
· The repetition of the functions of certain units in the current administrative system makes it impossible to solve priority programs of state significance. The bureaucratic board should be essentially reduced to render it more efficient and functional.
· The State must guide people toward progress. The government must not be subject to self-willed changes proceeding from political situation and careerist endeavors of certain political forces identifying themselves, the power with the state. It is high time to adopt law on Government.
· Manpower policy should be built on the non-party bases. Equally unacceptable are both jaundice based on party feature and putting either one or another in office based on party principle. Only high professional competence, moral qualities and the experience will be considered when appointing an executive position.
· It is necessary to carry out programmed and systematized legislative policy. Bills are often worked out not out of state interests but to meet the expectations and preferences of certain executive body units. Transparency and predictability should be guaranteed in legislative activities, by which people will trust the state.
· An active Security Council should be established. One that is unconditionally able to ensure state, military, social and economic security on the basis of a corresponding conception.
· To strengthen the defensive capacity of the country on the basis of a defense doctrine. To contribute by increasing the level of preparation in the national army, as well as to strict discipline and creating healthy moral-psychological atmosphere.
· To gradually form an ideology-based political specter.
· By all means to promote to mass media development.
· To create all favorable conditions of life and development for all the national minorities living in the territory of Armenia, guaranteeing inviolability of their rights and national dignity.
In the economic policy sphere
Only effective state activities may stand for a guarantee of stable economic and social development.
Instead of falsely imitating the foreign countries, the time has come to realistically analyze and evaluate the competitive advantages of the national economy and then conduct efficient economic policy.
Privatization
. We are against the dogmatic policy of privatizing state property, which, as a matter of fact, furthers growth of abuse and economic crimes, resulting in the crucial reduction of production efficiency. Privatization should serve the economic efficacy, the criteria of raising the welfare of people. It is particularly necessary to take account of staff of the unit being privatized; their participation should be ensured in the procedures.
. It is necessary to conduct transparent privatization, making it open and revising in cases of violations. To retain the control stock of units of strategic significance. Not profitable enterprises but stagnated ones should be privatized.
. With the purpose of recovering the privatized stagnant enterprises, to levy annually rising property tax, thus rendering their stagnation economically unreasonable. At the same time, to contribute the enterprises restoring their production activity by providing tax privileges and time credits.
. To realize antimonopoly policy. To legally eliminate monopoly emerged due to privatization, aiming at launching healthy competition. To analyze and evaluate compatible branches of the national economy, to define priorities and conduct effective economic policy on their bases.
Industry and Energy
. Today's real state and the possibilities of the enterprises should be evaluated in order to work out special programs directed to industry reconstruction and development, to ensure development of new technologies and export production, as well as to contribute to forming financial-industrial units. On the whole, the raw resources of the republic, present potential skilled manpower should be widely used, as well as ways must be sought to train high quality specialists.
. We give much importance to the efficient contribution, especially concerning search for new markets. It is obvious that the enterprises have neither necessary staff nor means to conduct productive marketing.
. We should regulate and develop traditional economic relations both with Russia and other CIS countries, not accepting the principle of "property against debt". Joint ventures must be established, joint programs must be realized. Creation of favorable investment atmosphere is indispensable.
. To ensure the republic's energy security and independence that are basic elements of the National Security. It is necessary to develop nuclear energy, to conduct systematized works directed to efficient usage of alternative energy sources. Establishment of small hydro energy plants must be encouraged.
Business and Investments
. A favorable environment should be created to attract investments. Those investment programs should be given priority, which will create new jobs and will fit the economic reality of the republic.
. With the purpose of promoting overall development and increasing the export level, the state must assist the creation of free economic zones.
. The disaster zone should be reconstructed by means of privileged credits and grants. We must contribute to populating abandoned villages and the populated areas adjacent to borderline. A priority task is to promote business and create jobs.
. The state ought to encourage small and medium business development all over the republic by creating furtive ground for forming middle class.
Agriculture
. It is necessary to show state comprehensive assistance to the village and agricultural producers. They shouldn't be abandoned to handle their problems on their own. The season aspect should be taken into consideration in tax and credit policy related to agricultural producers. Practical steps must be taken to ensure food security, as well as in the direction of creating insurance mechanisms in the agricultural sphere. They must be duly provided with all the agricultural items indispensable to proceed with production.
. It is necessary to restore the practice of state orders of agricultural production - a system accepted all over the world. A system must be installed, which will protect the interests of agricultural producers and consumers. Practical steps should be undertaken to ensure food security and to create insurance mechanisms in the agricultural sphere.
. As far as the choice of land usage is concerned, the obsolete approaches must be strictly abjured. Proceeding from national traditions, geographical and climate uniqueness, different forms may be used for land privatization. Privatization modes are selected not out of political considerations or ideological preferences but out of high productivity considerations and the guarantee of efficient usage of the land.
Tax, Monetary & Banking Systems
. To reconstruct and simplify the tax system redirecting it from "rude" taxation to encouraging individual entrepreneurship, small and medium business, local investment, activating economy and creating jobs. The taxes must be just, obligatory and payable for everybody.
. It is important to ensure not artificial but natural stability of the national currency. This supposes rhythmically working national economy, presence of exportable production, training of competent specialists and efficient credit and tax policy.
. In our country, banks should take a real part of the economy. They must give credits to prospective economic and production programs. The crediting mechanisms must be largely simplified.
. The state should control over purposeful and efficient usage of credits, their compensation, ensuring transparency of credit expenses. The future generations must not inherit the heavy debts of their predecessors.
It is Also Necessary
. To create conditions for involving lately immigrated businessmen in investment programs in different spheres. This will help to return the leaked national wealth of material, professional and intellectual character.
. To contribute the unification of Diaspora, to use its investment and professional capabilities for the national economy to gradually reach the point of world integration. To participate in the regional economic cooperation with joint programs.
. To work out and realize prospective programs directed to economic integration with Artsakh. We still have no idea about the economic abilities of Artsakh.
In Social Policy Sphere
. It is a very important issue for us to confirm guarantees of citizens' social protection. Their social protection mustn't be jeopardized. Along with increasing the efficiency of the national economy, state responsibility should be taken to return the Savings Bank deposits. It is necessary to enlarge free healthcare services and education for the needy layer of the population. Pensions and the wages of those working in the budget sphere should be raised.
. Teachers, doctors, engineers, scientists, artists, sportsmen should again feel their importance in the society.
. Science, culture and education should be in the focus of the state's attention. For us, the most efficient investment is the one made in human development.
. It is necessary to take care of applying scientific achievements in production. Theoretical spheres and the Armenian studies should be given special attention. The state contribution may multiply the investment of the Armenian culture in the world treasury. Scientific, educational and cultural units outside the capital need special heed and care.
. The scientific potential has no demand yet, while the intellectual property should become one of the compatible advantages of our country. Favorable atmosphere is necessary to form comprehensive development of science.
. The tomorrow of our society is hardly imaginable without practical and active participation of youth representing new mentality and quality. By all means, young talents should be exposed to create favorable conditions for them to get corresponding educational background. Along with gaining access to and communicating with the achievements of the world civilization, youth should see its future in the motherland and be confident that skills and knowledge will be properly applied for progress here.
. The Armenian woman should be respected by everybody, she should be confident in the future of her children. At the same time, we give much importance to the active role of women in the social-political sphere.
. It is necessary to help refugees eliminate their inferiority complex and to effectively solve their housing problems.
. The state must pay special attention toward martyred freedom fighters' families, invalids, and heroes of military forces. RA soldier should be honored with high respect of the state and the society.
. It is necessary to prevent intellectual leak. Quality specialists must be enlisted, data bank, working force market should be created. Temporarily unemployed specialists should be sent abroad for qualification, training and practice, according to interstate contracts.
. Ruthless struggle should be realized against property crime, as well as crimes against individuals. It is necessary to guarantee equality and freedom of legal possibilities of entrepreneurship. Each citizen must be confident that the authorities can protect his/her rights, property from any kind of outrage by whomever.
. It is necessary to realize policy creating jobs, eliminating poverty. Job-creating is, after all, not a mere social issue: it is directly connected with the psychological state of a human being, his/her dignity.
In Foreign Policy Sphere
· The protection of our national interests in international sphere must be realized on the basis of a comprehensive doctrine.
· Among the priorities of the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, the issues of the security of the Armenian and Artsakh population, international recognition of free NKR self-determination are first and foremost. The realization of that right is an Armenian all-national problem, the solution of which should be reached by peaceful means, via political negotiations.
· The strategic cooperation with Russia has always been and always will be the main direction of the RA foreign policy.
· Armenia should establish neighborly relations with the adjacent countries of the region, as well as develop and deepen mutually profitable relations with the US, the EU countries and other countries of the world.
· We give much importance to Armenia's effective cooperation with international organizations.
· RA foreign policy must contribute to the realization of the international programs directed to the region development. Thanks to its geographical location, Armenia may become a bridge connecting different civilizations and cultures, thus, contributing to their dialogue and productive cooperation.
· The president must pay great attention to mutual strengthening and developing of connections with Diaspora, as well as to the efforts joining the motherland with the Armenian communities abroad. Adopting the principle of dual citizenship, we give much importance to working out legal procedures for its realization. A corresponding state structure has to be established to raise Armenia-Diaspora relations to a new quality level.
There is still much to say about the future plans. But it is obvious that, first of all, the confidence crisis must be overcome in the country. Those authorities can help the country out of this heavy situation, whom people intensively assist. We want to establish justice and direct the society to reliable future.
Republic of Armenia
STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN
Pre-electoral basic provisions
It is obvious that the country needs changes. To say there's no alternative to the current policy is the same as to say there is no alternative to permissiveness and illegality, corruption and despotism, impunity and irresponsibility, hopelessness and immorality.
This denotes that one should cope with the social polarization, with the overwhelming clan system, with despair and poverty, with undisclosed political murders, with the disunity of the society, with the extending gap between people and the authorities.
We stand before decisive choice - to either leave it however it is or unite the society, restore people's belief in its own strength and create such a state, which will ensure welfare for its citizens, as well as security, which will respect their rights and guarantee social justice. For that purpose, we consider it necessary to realize a complex program, which includes the following provisions:
In the Sphere of State Governance
· To confirm hegemony of law in all aspects of social life, to extirpate permissiveness and despotism as far as the revelation of both October 27 and other political crimes committed against the state is concerned, to ensure order and legality in the country. To struggle against corruption, as well as clan and black economy not just verbally but in practice.
· To fill the idea of statehood with contents, to eliminate the existing mistakes. The state governance system should become an imperishable value for each subsequent president and a pledge of guaranteed future of the country. To see such distribution of power that different branches of power do really and mutually counterbalance each other, thus contributing to the establishment of a civil society, jural state.
· To realize reforms guaranteeing independence of court volition. Only true independent court system can be a basis of legality, citizens' rights and liberties protection in the country. Independent court system also has important economic significance. It is, in fact, a guarantee and a prerequisite for realizing necessary investment in the country.
· Human rights are not protected in our country. There is no sphere where a citizen would feel the presence of state. At the same time, permissiveness exists everywhere. In our case, it is not power for man, rather man for power. To increase the responsibility of the authorities before people.
· It is necessary to revise the republic's administrative-territorial division, driven by the purpose of drawing the power near to people. The reforms in territorial administration and local government systems should be realized through appointments of the bodies by election, increase of economic self-dependence by ensuring wide latitude.
· The repetition of the functions of certain units in the current administrative system makes it impossible to solve priority programs of state significance. The bureaucratic board should be essentially reduced to render it more efficient and functional.
· The State must guide people toward progress. The government must not be subject to self-willed changes proceeding from political situation and careerist endeavors of certain political forces identifying themselves, the power with the state. It is high time to adopt law on Government.
· Manpower policy should be built on the non-party bases. Equally unacceptable are both jaundice based on party feature and putting either one or another in office based on party principle. Only high professional competence, moral qualities and the experience will be considered when appointing an executive position.
· It is necessary to carry out programmed and systematized legislative policy. Bills are often worked out not out of state interests but to meet the expectations and preferences of certain executive body units. Transparency and predictability should be guaranteed in legislative activities, by which people will trust the state.
· An active Security Council should be established. One that is unconditionally able to ensure state, military, social and economic security on the basis of a corresponding conception.
· To strengthen the defensive capacity of the country on the basis of a defense doctrine. To contribute by increasing the level of preparation in the national army, as well as to strict discipline and creating healthy moral-psychological atmosphere.
· To gradually form an ideology-based political specter.
· By all means to promote to mass media development.
· To create all favorable conditions of life and development for all the national minorities living in the territory of Armenia, guaranteeing inviolability of their rights and national dignity.
In the economic policy sphere
Only effective state activities may stand for a guarantee of stable economic and social development.
Instead of falsely imitating the foreign countries, the time has come to realistically analyze and evaluate the competitive advantages of the national economy and then conduct efficient economic policy.
Privatization
. We are against the dogmatic policy of privatizing state property, which, as a matter of fact, furthers growth of abuse and economic crimes, resulting in the crucial reduction of production efficiency. Privatization should serve the economic efficacy, the criteria of raising the welfare of people. It is particularly necessary to take account of staff of the unit being privatized; their participation should be ensured in the procedures.
. It is necessary to conduct transparent privatization, making it open and revising in cases of violations. To retain the control stock of units of strategic significance. Not profitable enterprises but stagnated ones should be privatized.
. With the purpose of recovering the privatized stagnant enterprises, to levy annually rising property tax, thus rendering their stagnation economically unreasonable. At the same time, to contribute the enterprises restoring their production activity by providing tax privileges and time credits.
. To realize antimonopoly policy. To legally eliminate monopoly emerged due to privatization, aiming at launching healthy competition. To analyze and evaluate compatible branches of the national economy, to define priorities and conduct effective economic policy on their bases.
Industry and Energy
. Today's real state and the possibilities of the enterprises should be evaluated in order to work out special programs directed to industry reconstruction and development, to ensure development of new technologies and export production, as well as to contribute to forming financial-industrial units. On the whole, the raw resources of the republic, present potential skilled manpower should be widely used, as well as ways must be sought to train high quality specialists.
. We give much importance to the efficient contribution, especially concerning search for new markets. It is obvious that the enterprises have neither necessary staff nor means to conduct productive marketing.
. We should regulate and develop traditional economic relations both with Russia and other CIS countries, not accepting the principle of "property against debt". Joint ventures must be established, joint programs must be realized. Creation of favorable investment atmosphere is indispensable.
. To ensure the republic's energy security and independence that are basic elements of the National Security. It is necessary to develop nuclear energy, to conduct systematized works directed to efficient usage of alternative energy sources. Establishment of small hydro energy plants must be encouraged.
Business and Investments
. A favorable environment should be created to attract investments. Those investment programs should be given priority, which will create new jobs and will fit the economic reality of the republic.
. With the purpose of promoting overall development and increasing the export level, the state must assist the creation of free economic zones.
. The disaster zone should be reconstructed by means of privileged credits and grants. We must contribute to populating abandoned villages and the populated areas adjacent to borderline. A priority task is to promote business and create jobs.
. The state ought to encourage small and medium business development all over the republic by creating furtive ground for forming middle class.
Agriculture
. It is necessary to show state comprehensive assistance to the village and agricultural producers. They shouldn't be abandoned to handle their problems on their own. The season aspect should be taken into consideration in tax and credit policy related to agricultural producers. Practical steps must be taken to ensure food security, as well as in the direction of creating insurance mechanisms in the agricultural sphere. They must be duly provided with all the agricultural items indispensable to proceed with production.
. It is necessary to restore the practice of state orders of agricultural production - a system accepted all over the world. A system must be installed, which will protect the interests of agricultural producers and consumers. Practical steps should be undertaken to ensure food security and to create insurance mechanisms in the agricultural sphere.
. As far as the choice of land usage is concerned, the obsolete approaches must be strictly abjured. Proceeding from national traditions, geographical and climate uniqueness, different forms may be used for land privatization. Privatization modes are selected not out of political considerations or ideological preferences but out of high productivity considerations and the guarantee of efficient usage of the land.
Tax, Monetary & Banking Systems
. To reconstruct and simplify the tax system redirecting it from "rude" taxation to encouraging individual entrepreneurship, small and medium business, local investment, activating economy and creating jobs. The taxes must be just, obligatory and payable for everybody.
. It is important to ensure not artificial but natural stability of the national currency. This supposes rhythmically working national economy, presence of exportable production, training of competent specialists and efficient credit and tax policy.
. In our country, banks should take a real part of the economy. They must give credits to prospective economic and production programs. The crediting mechanisms must be largely simplified.
. The state should control over purposeful and efficient usage of credits, their compensation, ensuring transparency of credit expenses. The future generations must not inherit the heavy debts of their predecessors.
It is Also Necessary
. To create conditions for involving lately immigrated businessmen in investment programs in different spheres. This will help to return the leaked national wealth of material, professional and intellectual character.
. To contribute the unification of Diaspora, to use its investment and professional capabilities for the national economy to gradually reach the point of world integration. To participate in the regional economic cooperation with joint programs.
. To work out and realize prospective programs directed to economic integration with Artsakh. We still have no idea about the economic abilities of Artsakh.
In Social Policy Sphere
. It is a very important issue for us to confirm guarantees of citizens' social protection. Their social protection mustn't be jeopardized. Along with increasing the efficiency of the national economy, state responsibility should be taken to return the Savings Bank deposits. It is necessary to enlarge free healthcare services and education for the needy layer of the population. Pensions and the wages of those working in the budget sphere should be raised.
. Teachers, doctors, engineers, scientists, artists, sportsmen should again feel their importance in the society.
. Science, culture and education should be in the focus of the state's attention. For us, the most efficient investment is the one made in human development.
. It is necessary to take care of applying scientific achievements in production. Theoretical spheres and the Armenian studies should be given special attention. The state contribution may multiply the investment of the Armenian culture in the world treasury. Scientific, educational and cultural units outside the capital need special heed and care.
. The scientific potential has no demand yet, while the intellectual property should become one of the compatible advantages of our country. Favorable atmosphere is necessary to form comprehensive development of science.
. The tomorrow of our society is hardly imaginable without practical and active participation of youth representing new mentality and quality. By all means, young talents should be exposed to create favorable conditions for them to get corresponding educational background. Along with gaining access to and communicating with the achievements of the world civilization, youth should see its future in the motherland and be confident that skills and knowledge will be properly applied for progress here.
. The Armenian woman should be respected by everybody, she should be confident in the future of her children. At the same time, we give much importance to the active role of women in the social-political sphere.
. It is necessary to help refugees eliminate their inferiority complex and to effectively solve their housing problems.
. The state must pay special attention toward martyred freedom fighters' families, invalids, and heroes of military forces. RA soldier should be honored with high respect of the state and the society.
. It is necessary to prevent intellectual leak. Quality specialists must be enlisted, data bank, working force market should be created. Temporarily unemployed specialists should be sent abroad for qualification, training and practice, according to interstate contracts.
. Ruthless struggle should be realized against property crime, as well as crimes against individuals. It is necessary to guarantee equality and freedom of legal possibilities of entrepreneurship. Each citizen must be confident that the authorities can protect his/her rights, property from any kind of outrage by whomever.
. It is necessary to realize policy creating jobs, eliminating poverty. Job-creating is, after all, not a mere social issue: it is directly connected with the psychological state of a human being, his/her dignity.
In Foreign Policy Sphere
· The protection of our national interests in international sphere must be realized on the basis of a comprehensive doctrine.
· Among the priorities of the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, the issues of the security of the Armenian and Artsakh population, international recognition of free NKR self-determination are first and foremost. The realization of that right is an Armenian all-national problem, the solution of which should be reached by peaceful means, via political negotiations.
· The strategic cooperation with Russia has always been and always will be the main direction of the RA foreign policy.
· Armenia should establish neighborly relations with the adjacent countries of the region, as well as develop and deepen mutually profitable relations with the US, the EU countries and other countries of the world.
· We give much importance to Armenia's effective cooperation with international organizations.
· RA foreign policy must contribute to the realization of the international programs directed to the region development. Thanks to its geographical location, Armenia may become a bridge connecting different civilizations and cultures, thus, contributing to their dialogue and productive cooperation.
· The president must pay great attention to mutual strengthening and developing of connections with Diaspora, as well as to the efforts joining the motherland with the Armenian communities abroad. Adopting the principle of dual citizenship, we give much importance to working out legal procedures for its realization. A corresponding state structure has to be established to raise Armenia-Diaspora relations to a new quality level.
There is still much to say about the future plans. But it is obvious that, first of all, the confidence crisis must be overcome in the country. Those authorities can help the country out of this heavy situation, whom people intensively assist. We want to establish justice and direct the society to reliable future.