BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
Despite announcements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s “My Step” Alliance that the issue of changing Armenia’s National Anthem is not on its agenda, one of its prominent members, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan is determined to change the anthem anyway.
Simonyan began his campaign soon after being named deputy speaker of the legislature, saying that Mer Hairenik, Armenia’s National Anthem adopted during the first Republic of Armenia is “bad” and proposing to change it to the Soviet Armenian anthem, which was composed by Aram Khachatryan. Simonyan also has proposed adding a cross to the Armenian tri-color, presumably to reflect that Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a national religion.
On Wednesday, the unrelenting Simonyan announced the formation of a commission and a contest on his personal Facebook page, calling for submission of lyrics to complement Khachatryan’s composition of the Soviet-era anthem to an obscure Gmail account.
In making this announcement, Simonayn vowed that one way or another the anthem would change, saying that while “It will not be included on the agenda of the National Assembly, but will be put for public discussion. When time comes… the issue will be discussed.” Earlier this month, Simonyan said that he was driven by patriotism to propose the change.
His initial proposal was met with opposition, as have similar efforts in the past to change the National Anthem. The difference, however, was that Simonyan personally attacked those expressing their opposition to his suggestion on his social media platforms, often labeling them as opposing the revolution.
The revolution that he was referencing, of course, was last spring’s popular movement that toppled the previous regime with welcome promises of large-scale reforms that would benefit the people of Armenia. The snap parliamentary elections held in December gave “My Step” the mandate to carry out those changes. Hence, it was puzzling that days after the convening of the new parliament, its deputy speaker would (ab)use his position by proposing—in a rather pedestrian manner—to change the National Anthem, causing an uproar on social media that drowned out the coverage of Pashinyan’s trip to Germany and his meeting with Chancellor Angele Merkel.
One would think that a political force that was elected to parliament with a whopping 80 percent of the votes immediately would use its mandate to advance issues such as judicial, socio-economic and legislative reforms, which were promised and pledged during the parliamentary election campaign. I was hoping that the very patriotism that drove Simonyan to marshal a change to the National Anthem would have propelled him to discuss Armenia’s national security, programs that would bolster our Armed Forces and whether Armenia finally will sign a military cooperation agreement with Artsakh.
The “Velvet Revolution” that freed our entire nation from the clutches of corrupt individuals who used their government positions to usurp the national wealth and deprive the citizens of Armenia from basic rights and liberties did not happen so that another set of individuals can impose their will on the people, by ignoring the issues that sparked the movement in the first place.
Armenia’s National Anthem, its flag and the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia are emblems of our collective national identity—our homeland and our nation. They reflect our historic struggles and our national aspirations and victories. They are not vestiges of a distant past, fashion statements or top-40 hits that can be altered through individual whims via social media contests.
I don’t know about the cross but the revision back to old Soviet times nicely corresponds with the Oblast status of the republic. Putin must be dancing in the Kremlin when such treacherous Armenians do his dirty work.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE ARMENIAN`S ANTHEM?
AND WHY TO CHANGE THE ARMENIA`S ANTHEM ?
This is just the beginning. We should be prepared to strongly oppose more and more upcoming attacks on our national, historic, cultural and religious values, whether those attacks happen in Armenia or in the Diaspora, through some mouthpieces.
Մեր հայրենիք, ազատ անկախ,
Որ ապրել է դարէ դար***
Իր որդիքը արդ կանչում է
Ազատ, անկախ Հայաստան։
Ահա*** եղբայր*** քեզ մի դրօշ,
Որ իմ ձեռքով գործեցի
Գիշերները ես քուն չեղայ,
Արտասուքով լուացի։
Նայիր նրան*** երեք գոյնով,
Ամենայն տեղ մահը մի է***
Մարդ մի անգամ պիտ’մեռնի,
Բայց երանի, որ յիւր ազգի
Ազատութեան կզոհուի։
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Չի բաւեր քայլերգը սիրել, պէտք է նաեւ ճիշդ գրել զայն:
Խաչանիշերուն տեղ պէտք է ստորակէտ գայ:
Իսկ նրան-ին վրայ՝ բութ:
Our national anthem was, is, and will be forever “MER HAYRENIK”.
Nobody can dare to change it back to Soviet era. Wake up diaspora.
Our national anthem was, is, and will be forever “MER HAYRENIK”.
Nobody can dare to change it back to Soviet era.
May I ask the government.
Is this the most important question?
Dr. Hermon Mihranian
Armenia National Anthem should not be changed, attempt to change is traitor , does not matter when written or else , that is national identity , stick with it , adding cross is also very bad idea, there are ways tell to the world that we are the first Christian Nation.
A Soviet anthem and a cross? Talk about a paradox.
As wonderful as Khatchatourian’s song is we must remember that every single piece of art made in the Soviet union was designed as propaganda for the communist party.
One cannot change one of the three from anthem flag and coat of arms. They come together and symbolize the first Armenian Republic, the will of the Armenian people to live free and independent and their determination to do away with soviet era symbols and reinstate all that was connected with the first republic. Mr. Alen, have the courage to respect it. You have been elected by the same people to implement their will!