New Europe talked to SOAD frontman Serj Tankian about the events in Armenia. We present you some fragments from the interview.

“Seismic event”

The resignation of the president-turned-prime minister, Serzh Sargsyan, by the will of the people conducting civil disobedience is a seismic event in modern Armenian history.

For years, many incorrectly believed Armenian citizens were too apathetic to stand up in the numbers we just saw and make their voices and demands heard. I guess the bullet finally hit the bone. The unfolding events though so far symbolic are very important in the rebuilding of confidence in Armenia as a place to live, invest, work, create. etc.

“Irrefutably powerful”

Armenian youngsters have reinvented themselves culturally in such a way that they have become irrefutably powerful.

They won’t stand for injustice the same way as their parents did but will react with understanding and love also different from the previous generation.

I consider the Electric Yerevan protests the lead up to this as it was the youth that initiated the single issue protest.

Next steps

The next steps will be to first initiate a vast package of reforms – starting with law enforcement – so that elections are no longer stolen or bought so that they truly represent the people.

The step after would most likely be fresh parliamentary elections to reform everything else. These next moves will not be easy as the ruling powers still control all the branches of government. It is through public pressure, diplomacy, and negotiations that these things will follow through. One thing is certain though. The people now realize they are the power and I doubt anything will be able to stop them now.

More open to the diaspora’s thoughts

Politically, I hope Armenia will be more open to the diaspora’s thoughts and actions. After all, we are a people separated by the trauma of genocide, empire, corruption, and economic stagnation. Till now, the regime wanted to see the diaspora but not hear it (tourism vs political engagement). That’s gonna change as the diaspora has a wealth of experience, especially in the field of foreign policy, contacts, lobbying in foreign countries and the like. Armenia can better access the diaspora when there’s a better balance of power.