A global watchdog continues to rate Armenia as a country with a ‘semi-consolidated authoritarian regime’, which is reflected in its latest annual review of progress in democracy.
In an 18-page report on Armenia published on Tuesday, Freedom House (www.freedomhouse.org) notes no particular progress made by the country in such spheres as electoral, civil society, independent media, governance, judicial framework and independence, corruption, and others.
The bottom-line Democracy Score for Armenia presented by the “Nations in Transit 2010” report (which focuses on about three dozen countries and covers the period of 2009) is thus identical with that given for the previous year of review, 5.39 (on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress).
Armenia’s regional neighbor Georgia is doing a little better, according to Freedom House, although it too fails to show year-on-year progress with its Democracy Score standing at 4.93. Azerbaijan has a lower score than Armenia (6.39, which is a slight regression from the 2009 score of 6.25).
In its executive summary the report authored by Aleksander Iskandaryan, an analyst and Director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute, notes that “polarization of the society as a result of the 2008 post-election unrest gradually subsided and transformed into public apathy” and that “the negative aftermath of the 2008 political crisis and global economic recession was offset somewhat by the moderate success in regional politics.”
“Armenia’s legislation provides for democracy and rule of law, but executive authorities continue to dominate in governance,” notes the report on National Democratic Governance and continues on Judiciary Independence: “The constitution of Armenia provides for an independent judiciary, but in practice, courts are vulnerable to pressure from executive powers.”
“The global economic crisis touched almost every sphere of public life and further aggravated the country’s atmosphere of insecurity and pessimism,” it adds.
The report notes lack of progress in Armenia in the conduct of elections, but says the perception of corruption in Armenia slightly improved in 2009. Even so, it stresses that “corruption still remains a major deterrent to the country’s democratic development.”
The report’s Outlook for 2010 predicts that “Armenia will continue to work toward neutralizing the consequences of the global economic crisis” but “can expect poorer economic prospects” unless relations with Turkey are normalized and the border with it opens.
“Rapprochement with Europe will continue in the framework of the Eastern Partnership project. The unresolved conflict over the breakaway region Nagorno-Karabakh is likely to stagnate while stakeholders continue to make optimistic statements regarding progress in negotiations,” it says. “In domestic politics, the main challenge for Armenia is the creation of a level playing field in politics and the emergence of a viable opposition… Given the absence of national elections in 2010, this goal will probably not be achieved during the coming year.”
The full report on Armenia is available here: http://www.freedomhouse.eu/images/nit2010/NIT-2010-Armenia-proof-Il.pdf
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