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Anahit Bakhshyan, the Chairwoman of “Heritage” Party Board gives interview to Panorama.am.

-Mrs. Bakhshyan 2008 is over. How can you evaluate the previous year?

-2008 was a year reach with tragic events. By tragedy I do not necessarily mean March 1 only. Of course, it is the most important. For me February 19 was also a tragedy. Before the presidential elections I really hoped that the presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan who ensured that he would not bare violence and falsifications, was serious and that he would earn public vote. I believed that those elections would not be falsified or at least they would not be so much distorted. But that was a real tragedy for me. In the aftermath of those elections currently 67 people are in jail.

-Mrs. Bkhshyan March 1 has been talked much about. It is also said that those events were the logical finish of our past. That is to say that the system was closed and it was expected that one day the “last straw would break”. What do you think of it?

-I completely agree with the statement. Our public was really feeling as if under some heavy press. And those ten dead as if eased that press giving their lives. In the aftermath of it, today we are freer to speak about those things and we have serious demands put towards the authorities. In this regard the authorities have serious difficulties to ease the tension.

-Define the most important challenges our people and the state is to face in 2009.

-The most important thing is to meet the challenges of economic and political crisis. Another event is the January Plenary Session of PACE where a decision will be made on Armenia. By the way the decision can be a serious one. In the last two months the economic figures are worrying. And the decision is to create an atmosphere where everybody will feel willing and responsible to help.