ABC Interview’s guest was TV presenter Yegor Glumov. We talked with him about the current situation in Armenia, the latest developments, and the causes of the war that led to this situation. He finds that only after having a citizen who cares for his Homeland, can we expect serious changes in the country. We also talked about Armenian and Russian cultural figures and their reactions to the events taking place in both countries. The presenter also conducts interviews with his Azerbaijani colleagues and believes that this dialogue should start sooner or later.
– Baku does not hide its claims for the territories of the Republic of Armenia, calling them Western Azerbaijan. Have you heard an appropriate response to this from our Government?
– I have nothing to do with our Government. I have adequate responses in my own mind. Fortunately or unfortunately, nobody knows what our Government is negotiating. Have you personally heard Aliyev say such things or have you read it somewhere?
– It was said many times by Aliyev and many other officials from Baku. Do you understand Azerbaijani?
– I don’t understand myself, but many do and I’m sure they don’t translate incorrectly. Repeat a lie 1000 times, and it becomes the truth.
– If Azerbaijan constantly announces at the official level that the territory of Armenia is part of Azerbaijan, and no response follows from Armenia, the international community begins to think that Aliyev is telling the truth.
– No, but why? They have answered? Recently, they said that the issue of our Constitution is an internal affair of our country. It’s just that we all have to understand that we have lost, and the winner is the one who rewrites history and lays down conditions.
– Then, what should we do? Should we come to terms with the defeat?
– Did Azerbaijan come to terms with the defeat in 1994?
– Do you place importance on people’s political views?
– I have always been against authorities. I am an anarchist by nature, but I understand that every now and then something needs to change in this country and I demand that these changes take place. I clearly understand that the authorities in our country should not be people whom I love. I love my wife, my children; I should not love the prime minister, the president or the defense minister; let their relatives love them. They are obliged to serve this nation. After all, they receive salaries from the taxes we pay; and we are also obliged to demand. The more we demand, the better they will serve.
– Times are troubled both in Armenia and Russia. Do you follow the reaction of Russian public intellectuals to the problems facing them and the reaction of our public intellectuals to the situation in the country?
– The Russian public intellectuals who have remained in Russia say what Putin dictates. But when it comes to us, who is afraid here? People say what they want. Is there a fear of speaking up here? Anyone can say what they want: People curse each other, and no one is held accountable for it. Those who did not agree with the war in Russia left the country as soon as the war started. Those who have stayed there dance to the tune played by the higher-ups. In our country, people have always been able to speak freely, both with this government in office and the other one. There is another thing as well: Maybe they don’t care about what people say, or maybe they don’t listen to them, allowing them to talk. There is permissiveness here. No one is held accountable for anything: neither the Government, nor the Opposition, nor the intelligentsia; that’s why we have found ourselves in this situation.
– From our conversation, I infer that you are not optimistic after all, and the prospects for our country are not that bright, according to you.
– I think that if one is sick, he should see a doctor and get his diagnosis so that he can undergo treatment. But if one is sick and doesn’t see a doctor, he will die sooner or later. But if he does see a doctor, he will find out what is going on with him and he will receive treatment.
– And who are the doctors of Armenia?
– We are, but we must understand that we are sick and that we have a wound that needs to be dressed… That wound must be opened first. Now that wound is under clothes, under memories, under history, under faith, under idle talk, under false promises, under gossip and curses. We have to open the wound, clean it and dress it; we should not suture it because the wound received during hostilities should not be sutured, as there may be complications. It is at least a 100-year-old bad wound.
Interview by Lena Gevorgyan
