You Were a Coalition Partner with the Young Turks: Ruben Rubinyan

When Armenia was gaining independence, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) opposed the independence. This was stated by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Ruben Rubinyan, citing remarks made by ARF representative Hrayer Marukhyan. According to him, the ARF, along with the other two traditional parties, the Hunchaks and the Ramkavars, issued a statement urging the people to 'remain calm and not disrupt relations with the union republics.'

'After all this, you come and defend the state, independence,' he said. He also noted that at the beginning of the 20th century, the ARF had organized a coalition with the Young Turks. The ARF is currently the only party in Armenia that has formed a coalition partnership with the Young Turks.

'You were in a coalition with the Young Turks, you collaborated with the Sultan, you worked with the Hunchaks, the Communists, and the Republicans. With the Civil Contract party as well, what can I say, you tried to collaborate, but halfway through you decided that you are not like your traditional coalition partners, and you chose to go your own way. But, yes, you will cooperate with everyone, you have no problem doing that,' Rubinyan stated.

In response to a remark about what the political force can do, he said, 'Nothing, absolutely nothing. A political force must cooperate with everyone, it must express differing 10 positions on the same issue, it should oppose independence at the time of independence, and then tell everyone,