Populism being institutionalized in Armenia - ex-official 

ArmInfo. For a long time now, the question has not been about Electric Networks of Armenia, but about whom Armenia serves today. This assessment was made by the former head of the RA State Revenue Committee, economist David Ananyan, touching upon the session of the National Assembly scheduled for  today, at which a package of bills will be considered, designed to kick- start the process of nationalization of Electric Networks.

According to Ananyan, in anticipation of today's hearings in  parliament, it is necessary to consider not a specific issue on the agenda, but the deep political and cultural substrate in which the quality of such discussions is formed and expressed.

In recent years, Armenia has seen a systemic institutionalization of populism and ignorance. We are dealing with a reality where the ruling elite no longer hides its own ignorance and pathological lack of knowledge, but, on the contrary, presents it as a manifestation of popularity and "social justice."

This process has led to a value deviation in society, where state thinking and education and awareness are not encouraged but perceived as a threat to the current system, where historical memory is perceived as a dubious and useless loyalty to "old times," and the pursuit of dignity is an unacceptable position or a threat to the ruling elite.

In this context, a new anti-value narrative has emerged: if you have knowledge and a deep understanding of statehood and national identity, you are dangerous and politically vulnerable. You will be declared a systemic or a servant of the interests of others, because today's state is not seen as an idea, an institutional structure, or an expression of national identity, but as a space to be exploited. And on the way to using this space, intelligence, education or civic consciousness are reduced to an "excess resource."

And when public administration is based not on institutional  knowledge, but only on rhetorically framed madness, socio-political discourse becomes not an instrument of development, but a platform for populism, ignorance and manipulation.

So the issue has long been not about the ESA or around the ESA. The issue concerns something deeper:  what is the state in today's Armenia and who does it serve today, and, most importantly, who will it serve tomorrow?" Ananyan wrote on the social network.

Pashinyan announced the need for the nationalization of the power grids immediately after the campaign against the president of the Tashir Group of Companies Samvel Karapetyan and his arrest. On June 18, the Prime Minister told journalists that the company's activities led to an energy crisis in the country, caused by frequent power outages. According to him, a month ago he instructed the responsible persons to deal with the situation around the networks. The company must either compensate the damage caused to the population, government agencies and the private sector within a month, or be subject to urgent nationalization. On June 26, Pashinyan also proposed to put up for sale (free subscription) the shares of CJSC "Electric Networks of Armenia", "so that citizens of the Republic of  Armenia would also have the opportunity to buy them".

In this regard, on July 1-2, the National Assembly will consider a package of bills designed to launch the nationalization process of ESA. According to the amendments, the Public Services Regulatory Commission will have the right to change the company's management after conducting research and identifying violations. In this case, the PSRC will be able to invite an interim manager with at least 5 years of experience in the energy sector.

The Tashir  Group of Companies, headed by Samvel Karapetyan, acquired Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC from Inter RAO in September 2015. Earlier, Samvel Karapetyan noted that since 2016, when Tashir Group of Companies acquired ownership of Electric Networks of Armenia, a  total of about $900 million has been invested, $680 million of which was for modernization and $200 million for the creation of new capacities. Investments were made, including through credit resources of international financial institutions, which led to the pledging of 100% of the shares of the CJSC. According to experts, attempts to nationalize ESA will lead to capital outflow from Armenia, loss of investment attractiveness and a decrease in the country's sovereign credit rating.