We are facing a critical historic and political decision as a country and as a people and Civilitas believes in the importance of public debate. But in the case of these protocols, the debate is going off in the wrong direction. Not only are we presented with a fait accompli, but they’re also telling us nothing is changeable, and those documents have no preconditions.

Reading these protocols one unwillingly comes to the following conclusion: That these documents were prepared, somewhere, with Turkey’s participation, and imposed on the Armenian side, or the Armenian side really did negotiate this document having fully convinced itself that Armenia’s future development and survival is indeed completely linked to the opening of this border.

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More than a hundred guests were present at the public discussion on “Vulgarity vs. Political Debate," organized by the Civilitas Foundation on July 7, 2009. The speakers were Artsvik Minasyan, member of the ARF faction of the National Assembly, Hranush Kharatyan, a noted ethnographer and public commentator, and Naira Melkumyan, former foreign minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and founder of the “Aybengir” publishing house.

Opening the discussion, Civilitas Foundation director Salpi Ghazarian spoke on how the absence of a culture of political debate within Armenia forces us to seek platforms elsewhere. Thus when we do not have the means to defend our rights in Armenian courts, we are compelled to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, or if there is no possibility of debate in Armenia’s parliament, the issue moves to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

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The Civilitas Foundation hosts a public discussion regarding the right and responsibility of citizens to elect, strengthening democracy in Armenia, the 2008 Armenian Presidential elections, and the lack of 'Free & Fair Democratic Elections' in the 17 year old Independent Republic of Armenia.

A public discussion following the presentation of Armenia in 2008: Crisis and Opportunity at Golden Tulip on 26 December 2008, with the participation of Vartan Oskanian of the Civilitas Foundation, former Prime Minister Armen Darbinyan, member of the National Assembly and Armenian Revolutionary Federation leader Armen Rustamyan, and member of the opposition Hovhannes Igityan. The Civilitas Foundation annual report was launched with a public reception, just as the report is the first of its kind Armenian-prepared country self-reflection, the format of the event was also unprecedented. Four panelists discussed the topics covered by the report.

Part 1                                                                    Part 2

The Civilitas Foundation hosted a public Question & Answer Session following following the presentation of Armenia in 2008: Crisis and Opportunity at Golden Tulip on 26 December 2008, with the participation of Vartan Oskanian of the Civilitas Foundation, former Prime Minister Armen Darbinyan, member of the National Assembly and Armenian Revolutionary Federation leader Armen Rustamyan, and member of the opposition Hovhannes Igityan. The Civilitas Foundation annual report was launched with a public reception, just as the report is the first of its kind Armenian-prepared country self-reflection, the format of the event was also unprecedented. Four panelists discussed the topics covered by the report, while a Q & A with the Armenian Public took place afterward.