The expiring year was marked by two negative developments – two-digit economic slump and Armenia-Turkey Protocols’ signing, director of Polit-Economy research centre Andranik Tevanyan told NEWS.am correspondent.

At that, it took him a while to recollect positive developments of the departing year. Nonetheless, Tevanyan stated that the only and major positive breakthrough in 2009 was annihilation of “kinship” ideology by RA President Serzh Sargsyan.

Forecasting the coming year developments, he maintained that if Armenian authorities split the differences in Karabakh issue, the power change in the republic is inevitable. “But if Armenian side has the courage of convictions in the matter, political processes will shift to 2012 – parliamentary elections’ year. In terms of economic climate no changes are expected, having the global crisis going on in 2010,” the political analyst emphasized.

The situation with Armenia-Turkey relations will also remain unchanged, Tevanyan reckons. According to him, next year the Protocols will not be ratified, and the border will not open. “Despite the current international pressure, the situation here will remain unchanged,” the expert underlined adding that 2010 will be a year of vacuum for Armenia.

S.T.