ArmInfo.Minister of Justice of Armenia David Harutyunyan believes that what is happening on the streets of Yerevan is the result of political ambitions of a number of politicians. "I get the impression that not all the oppositionists have reconciled with Armenia's faster pace of development, since they are unlikely to be able to come to power in the future," David Harutyunyan said after the government on April 19 at a briefing for journalists.
According to Harutyunyan, the situation in the streets of Yerevan cannot not be disturbed by anyone. Under these conditions, the minister believes, it is quite normal that policemen force the demonstrators out of the streets, trying to ensure public order. Breaking the police cordon, restricting traffic and disturbing public order - this is a violation of public order. The actions of the police forces, as he noted, fit into the logic of ensuring public security, which is what the forces of law and order are called upon to do. "Only in a democratic country, protesters can freely go out and express their public protest," the minister said.
Meanwhile, the head of the Ministry of Justice does not agree with the fact that the participants in the protest action are conducting a peaceful, nonviolent struggle. Paralyzing the work of state agencies, when employees cannot come to work, and citizens receive state services, as noted by Harutyunyan, the protesters restrict the freedom of other people. This, in turn, as David Harutyunyan explained, means that protesters use violence against government employees, since "violence does not always mean only the use of physical force."
As for the new practice of holding government meetings behind closed doors, which was not until the entry into force of the provisions of the new Constitution, David Harutyunyan called it quite normal and generally accepted phenomenon, and by no means a retreat from democracy, as many representatives of civil society believe. According to the minister, earlier, after talks with colleagues from developed and developing countries, he realized that nowhere there is such a practice of holding Cabinet meetings in an open mode, which was in Armenia. "The meeting should be closed so that the members of the Cabinet could discuss in a free, relaxed atmosphere," he said.
It should be noted that today the first session of the Armenian government was held under the chairmanship of newly elected Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. The meeting can also be called historical due to the fact that the meeting was held for the first time in the second half of the day - more precisely at 17.00, instead of the early 11.00. Thus, when members of the Cabinet meet at a government meeting, calmly discuss and go home, the media representatives will just start a "stormy working day."