Ruben Vardanyan (Photo: MISiS NITU)
YEREVAN—In an interview with Mediamax, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of the 100 Lives initiative Ruben Vardanyan discusses Armenia and his vision regarding the management, leadership, and a change of strategy the country must make as 2016 comes to an end.
Mediamax (MM): We survived two big crises in 2016: a war in the spring and a standoff at a police station in the summer. In your opinion, have the authorities and the public come to any serious conclusions? Maybe there is an understanding that something needs to be changed, but there is no practical will or resolution to do anything?
Ruben Vardanyan (RV): I believe many people understand what happened, including Armenia’s leadership. However, there are various ways out of the current situation, and the main question is how ready is our society for change? I think that the April war and July events in Yerevan served as a wake-up call not only for the authorities, but also for Armenian society – both within the country and the diaspora. Profound changes are possible when there is an internal consensus in society, but it’s not clear that there is one right now.
We approached the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence in a situation where the country’s model of management, built during this period, has exhausted itself.
MM: Could you describe what you mean by that model?
RV: After the collapse of the USSR, the power in Armenia was taken by people born and raised in the Soviet system, or former dissidents, former Komsomol or Communist Party staff, former employees of special services. Many of them did and do love Armenia, however having no other experience in management but the one they witnessed in the Soviet Union, and having no opportunities to study in other countries, they recreated the management model that was the most comprehensible and familiar to them.
Those who can speak more languages, who are more cultured and better educated are left on the sidelines and unable to achieve any real success, because the dominant model in society is that of semi-criminal machismo.
They think tactically, not strategically. Many of them believe that abusing their position of power to earn money is just normal behavior, not corruption. Those who can speak more languages, who are more cultured and better educated are left on the sidelines and unable to achieve any real success, because the dominant model in society is that of semi-criminal machismo. In such an environment cultured and smart people have nothing else left to do but express their disagreement with words, not deeds.
In this model the leaders of the Armenian state don’t see themselves as leaders of the Armenian nation, which entails a clear distinction between Armenia as a country and a nation living all over the world. A part of the elite welcomes the diaspora’s assistance programs, accompanying it with, “We are happy to see you in Armenia, it’s beautiful and safe here, but don’t interfere with what we believe we should do, as there is much you don’t understand.â€
