Syria parliamentary election real achievement: Commentator

Press TV has interviewed Ibrahim Mousawi, a political commentator in Beirut, to discuss the parliamentary elections in Syria.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Let’s start off with your thoughts on the significance of the elections in Syria at this point in time.   

Mousawi: It is very significant and it is very distinguished indeed that the Syrian government has been able to start or to go into parliamentary elections regardless of all of the restraints, regardless of all of the constraints and the difficulties especially on the military and on the security level.

Moreover, we have to hail the turnover of the Syrians to the polling centers where they are coming in order to vote for the parliamentary elections. We have been able to follow up the situation here from Lebanon through many people and through many residents and many reporters on the different TV stations and through your TV as well.

As obvious, it is very clear that many of the Syrians, you are talking about tens of thousands who have come in order to cast their ballots into the boxes and in order to renew this democratic tradition and this democratic procedure of voting for the candidates who are running to be MPs and deputies and representatives of the people in the parliament.

The significance of this is very important because it says that the Syrian government continues to be able to achieve this and this is a real achievement actually at this point of time and regardless and despite of all of the difficulties and the security threats. We know very well that there are countries for example take Lebanon that does not have the same risk or the security risk that is in Syria and they did not convene and they did not make parliamentary elections.

It is very important that at this point of time the Syrian people, the Syrian government is sending a very strong message that this is a people and this is a government that continues to aspire for better situation in the country and to attach and to adhere to the democratic procedure and to the democratic practices in order to have a true and authentic representation for the people in the cities and in the different areas.

Press TV: And where do you believe the parliamentary elections taking place in Syria fits in the bigger picture with regards to ongoing political process to end the Syria crisis?

Mousawi: This is very important because here you are talking about a very crucial station, the parliamentary elections at this point of time is very important because it is not only to choose new representatives in the parliament, it is more than that. It is a kind of referendum, it is a kind of voting for the government, for the system itself and I believe with huge turnover that we can see on cameras but we have to wait for some time before we could like give a final judgment but so far the kind of turnover that we see, the kind of people who are coming to the different stations is a voting, they are voting for the system, it is a kind of as well a kind of referendum for the government and for the system in Syria and this  would give devastating blow, if you want, to the so-called opposition especially the military opposition, those who always boast that they are they are the true representatives of the people.

No one can force the people to come and vote at the different election centers. This is very important and this would give a huge push for the Syrian government for the constitutionality of the elections and then the eyes of the international community that you are talking about survivable and viable system.

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