YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. According to political scientist Richard Giragosian, the Director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS), the presidential elections held in Armenia and U.S. in 2008 have many similarities. As he mentioned at a discussion organized on the initiative of ACNIS on March 12, the American and Armenian societies were much alike especially because both were tired of their former Presidents, George Bush and Robert Kocharian. However, according to R. Giragosian, the essential difference is that U.S. President Barack Obama "managed to fulfill his slogan regarding changes," but no change took place in Armenia in spite of opposition's efforts. "The reason is that the votes are indeed significant in the U.S. and electoral violations are an exception and not regularity there," the political scientist said. According to R. Giragosian's estimation, today Armenia has reached a political point, from where there are two ways: either to a more authoritarian country like Belarus or to a democratic country like Belgium. According to him, in order to adopt the way of democracy we should learn three lessons from the United States: to separate politics from business, to establish big ideological parties, and to achieve authorities' not considering the opposition their enemies. Suzanna Barseghian, the ANC Studies' Coordinator, in her turn, said that Armenia's main achievement over the past year is the political awakening of part of society and change in public perceptions. Now, according to her, everything should be done for that society not to be disappointed.

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