The proclamation of the Fourth Republic will have serious negative consequences, and therefore, an alternative political agenda must be proposed to counter it. This is the view of Arsen Gasparyan, Doctor of Political Sciences.
According to his assessment, numbering the republic could also negatively impact the credibility of the current authorities. Gasparyan stated, “I am against this numbering. The successive numbering of the republic primarily speaks to persistent political instability.” He argues that it indicates constantly changing governance systems and their failures, which fosters distrust not only domestically but also in international perceptions.
Gasparyan also highlighted branding issues, noting that since gaining independence, Armenia has lacked a robust public diplomacy structure to promote the country’s recognition and international reputation. As an example, he pointed to the Armenian flag: “If you place the flags of Armenia, Colombia, and Venezuela side by side, 70–90% of the world’s population would not be able to distinguish which is Armenia’s, which is Colombia’s, and which is Venezuela’s. This creates confusion and clearly shows that the country’s branding is poor,” he remarked.
He added that proclaiming a new republic would raise questions among both locals and foreigners: “People will say, ‘Alright, the Fourth Republic—what was the Third Republic, what was the Second Republic? Why do we need to air our problems publicly? These are our issues, and we should discuss them internally.’” Gasparyan concluded that such approaches are often used in authoritarian countries.
“Almost all dictators proclaim a new republic to justify their revolution or power transition and to ensure long-term governance. When they come to power or prepare for new elections, they declare a new republic. For these reasons, I believe the proclamation of the Fourth Republic will also have serious negative consequences,” he noted.