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 | Vazgen Manoukyan
Vazgen Manoukyan was born on February 13, 1946 in Gyumri (Leninakan).
Mr. Manoukyan graduated with a degree in mathematics from Yerevan State University in 1967. He is a docent and has a PhD in Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
From 1971-1972 he did his postgraduate studies at the Syberian Department of the USSR Academy of Sciences. From 1972-1995 he was a professor at Yerevan State University. He was also a member and the coordinator of the Kharabagh Committee. From December 1988 to May 1989 he was detained together with the other members of the committee. In 1989 he was elected head of the board of the Armenian National Movement. From August 1990 to September 1991 he was the prime minister of the Republic of Armenia. From 1992-1993 he was the RA Minister of Defense and in 1993 he was the president of the RA Center of Strategic Studies.
In 1990 he was elected to the Supreme Council (electoral district # 10) and he was a member of the National Democrats Deputy Group. | |
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 | 28.11.2007 Vazgen Manukyan’s Address to the 17th Congress of the National Democratic Unity Party; November 28, 2007
Presidential elections will take place on February 19th and, as always, the hopes of our people for change in our country’s realty are palpable. Symbolically, on the same day, the 20th anniversary of our Movement will also be celebrated. A Movement whose period we remember with pride, glorious emotions and enthusiasm. A time when we were all united, sharing the same emotions and, inspired by a commonality of purpose, we were able to work together. All of us were fearless. In 1990, when the Supreme Soviet, in this very hall, accepted the Declaration which outlined the kind of government we wanted to see, we were overjoyed. We were on the right road. It was a Declaration based on the ideas propounded by the Movement. It was this Declaration that served as the cornerstone on which to build a government after national independence was legally achieved. As an independent state we were victorious in the Karabakh War and the foundations for democracy and free enterprise were put in place. But there was also disappointment, disillusionment and apprehension regarding the future. And today we find ourselves in this situation. In this regard all of us share some portion of guilt. Here, I am not concerned with levels of guilt, with who did what. I am not a judge; it’s not my place to speak of such things. Let history be the judge. | |
| | | Let’s Stand Up For Our Country and Our Victories
Let me start out by stating that this is not about moral victories. Indeed, moral victories have their impacts, but only real victories drive progress and generate powerful positive energy. We are used to, I don’t know why, looking for those real victories in far depths of Armenian history whereas they are right next to us, achieved by ourselves. We just need to stand up for them and face the future.
The forthcoming presidential elections are mechanisms by which people can execute their right to have their say. Unfortunately short after obtaining independence country’s electoral system was distorted so that nowadays it is very difficult to convince people that positive changes may be achieved via elections. Now this is where we need to be daring - take courage in our hands and become owners of the country, or be forced again to turn over some inglorious pages of our history and confine ourselves to moral victories only.
Since 1995 elections have been a real challenge for Armenia. They have been a challenge not only for people but also for the authorities and opposition representing their political standpoints. Life-and-death struggle taking place inside and outside of polling stations has its superficial as well as deep raison d’être.
The outer layer of electoral riggings is made up of possessors of short financial interests and “mentality” obligations – a phenomenon typical to our current “akhperakan” (of a brother) value system. However, the undercurrent of reasons for electoral riggings is more serious and therefore worth to be dwelled on in more detail. | |
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Vazgen_Manukyan’s_Address_to...doc
