“Azg” say that in their increasingly bitter electoral struggle Serzh Sarkisian and Levon Ter-Petrosian are “displaying a highly deep disregard for the people.” The paper says their mutual attacks and threats are irrelevant to day-to-day problems of most ordinary Armenians.
Samvel Babayan, the former military leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, expresses a similar view in an interview with “Hayots Ashkhar.” “Clearly, some candidates are opting for an escalation of the situation, something which I believe won’t do us any good,” he says. “If political forces and politicians really care about the future of the people and the state, they must behave in a more restrained manner. And the losers must have the courage to congratulate the winners.”
“Hayk” cites Ter-Petrosian’s remark that he will drop out of the race if Serzh Sarkisian agrees not to contest the presidential election. The pro-Ter-Petrosian paper says the seven other candidates should have joined the former president in demanding that the Central Election Commission annul Sarkisian’s registration as a presidential candidate. “If they take that step, they will be able to get rid of their two most powerful rivals and wage a truly fair struggle to become Armenia’s president,” it says.
“Aravot” says opposition candidate Artur Baghdasarian was “good” for the Armenian authorities as long as he “took away votes from Levon” and refused to consider joining the ex-president. “Now he has quickly become a bad guy,” editorializes the paper.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says the presidential election campaign is already ending the “atmosphere of fear” and public apathy towards politics in Armenia. The opposition paper says Armenians are realizing that “there are now good opportunities for real and radical changes in the country.” “Only such a situation can offset the factors of the government’s administrative resources, vote buying and a sense of fear,” it says.
(Atom Markarian)
Samvel Babayan, the former military leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, expresses a similar view in an interview with “Hayots Ashkhar.” “Clearly, some candidates are opting for an escalation of the situation, something which I believe won’t do us any good,” he says. “If political forces and politicians really care about the future of the people and the state, they must behave in a more restrained manner. And the losers must have the courage to congratulate the winners.”
“Hayk” cites Ter-Petrosian’s remark that he will drop out of the race if Serzh Sarkisian agrees not to contest the presidential election. The pro-Ter-Petrosian paper says the seven other candidates should have joined the former president in demanding that the Central Election Commission annul Sarkisian’s registration as a presidential candidate. “If they take that step, they will be able to get rid of their two most powerful rivals and wage a truly fair struggle to become Armenia’s president,” it says.
“Aravot” says opposition candidate Artur Baghdasarian was “good” for the Armenian authorities as long as he “took away votes from Levon” and refused to consider joining the ex-president. “Now he has quickly become a bad guy,” editorializes the paper.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says the presidential election campaign is already ending the “atmosphere of fear” and public apathy towards politics in Armenia. The opposition paper says Armenians are realizing that “there are now good opportunities for real and radical changes in the country.” “Only such a situation can offset the factors of the government’s administrative resources, vote buying and a sense of fear,” it says.
(Atom Markarian)