A disgruntled neighbor commented about Armenian-Turkish rapprochement and, in her opinion, its uselessness. “No way,” she began. “Both sides are just playing politics, and they know it. Armenians and Turks have had problems for over 1,000 years, and then 100 years ago they killed almost all of us. They don’t want us here. And we have no love for them either. But now isn’t the time to be talking about us getting along better with Turks…

“How can we even be thinking about border opening and brotherly love with the Turks when our own leaders, and the oligarchs, often one and the same, are busy stuffing their pocketbooks, amassing fortunes so large we can’t even imagine,” she continued. “And this, while half our population is out of the country working, trying to take care of their relatives here. If we’re in this condition, how can we talk about the Turks and our historic lands, and opening the border?”

A businessman who has had good success, actually quite good success, in Armenia’s business world, agreed, then gave his own thoughts about the business climate and economy here: “It is odd, true, that we’re busy talking about the Turks and Genocide recognition, while our leaders here are killing us. What they’re doing to the middle class here is criminal, that is, if there’s still a middle class. I’ve done well, but I’m nothing compared to the oligarchs, who are running everything here. I have two small factories that I can’t make profitable, due to the laws coming into play, and now I can’t sell them, as the only ones that can afford a normal price are the oligarchs, who are just waiting me out, till I have to sell, and the price is rock bottom.

“Without justice in our own country, we’re talking about border opening, energy routes, Genocide recognition…we have to remember, nobody listens to the weak.”