“Aravot” says that an ethnic Armenian prosecutor in Russia, Gayane Grigoriants, has been named to handle the high-profile case of an Armenian truck driver accused of causing the deaths of 18 people in a bus crash near Moscow. “This fact is certainly not accidental,” the paper writes, denouncing the Russian authorities’ “exceptional cynicism towards the tragedy.” It says this is a further indication that the Kremlin is increasingly adopting a confrontational approach in relations with Armenia. It points to the recent rise in the price of Russian gas for Armenia, Russian arms sales to Azerbaijan and Harutiunian’s ill-treatment. Moscow is thus methodically undermining a widely held Armenian belief that Russia is the sole guarantor of Armenia’s independence. “Perhaps this is a good phenomenon in a sense,” concludes “Aravot.”
But as Sergey Markedonov, a Russian analyst currently based in Washington, tells “Haykakan Zhamanak,” the fallout from the Moscow crash investigation will hardly have a serious impact on Russian-Armenian ties. Markedonov believes that the media in both Russia and Armenia are “not behaving adequately” in their coverage of the Armenian man’s ordeal. “Armenian media outlets are trying to say that Russia brings no benefits,” he says. “But mind you, there is at least some benefit from the presence of a Russian military base in Armenia.” Markedonov also insists that the Russian government did not have a hand in Harutiunian’s humiliating portrayal by Russian TV channels. “That was stupid and unprofessional. Why should it be viewed as some political conspiracy?” he says, adding, “Russia needs Armenia, and Armenia needs Russia.”
“168 Zham” says the uproar demonstrates that ordinary Armenians care more about Armenia’s honor and reputation abroad than their government. The paper hopes that Armenians thinking about emigrating to Russia or other countries will “remember this tragic incident.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” notes that the Russian Embassy in Yerevan made no mention of Harutiunian’s humiliation by the state-controlled Russian media in a statement issued on Wednesday. “The Russian Embassy glossed over the obvious steps that were taken by Russian law-enforcement, judicial and health authorities to deliberately humiliate Armenian citizen Hrachya Harutiunian,” comments the pro-establishment paper that has traditionally been sympathetic to Russia. It denounces the embassy statement as a “deliberate distortion and hypocrisy.”
“Zhamanak” says a fresh violent incident involving Gyumri’s notorious former Mayor Vartan Ghukasian makes mockery of President Serzh Sarkisian’s promises to ensure that nobody in Armenia acts with impunity. “At least, there are no facts proving the opposite,” the paper says. “If there were, Vartanik and his son would have been behind bars now.”
(Ruzanna Stepanian)
But as Sergey Markedonov, a Russian analyst currently based in Washington, tells “Haykakan Zhamanak,” the fallout from the Moscow crash investigation will hardly have a serious impact on Russian-Armenian ties. Markedonov believes that the media in both Russia and Armenia are “not behaving adequately” in their coverage of the Armenian man’s ordeal. “Armenian media outlets are trying to say that Russia brings no benefits,” he says. “But mind you, there is at least some benefit from the presence of a Russian military base in Armenia.” Markedonov also insists that the Russian government did not have a hand in Harutiunian’s humiliating portrayal by Russian TV channels. “That was stupid and unprofessional. Why should it be viewed as some political conspiracy?” he says, adding, “Russia needs Armenia, and Armenia needs Russia.”
“168 Zham” says the uproar demonstrates that ordinary Armenians care more about Armenia’s honor and reputation abroad than their government. The paper hopes that Armenians thinking about emigrating to Russia or other countries will “remember this tragic incident.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” notes that the Russian Embassy in Yerevan made no mention of Harutiunian’s humiliation by the state-controlled Russian media in a statement issued on Wednesday. “The Russian Embassy glossed over the obvious steps that were taken by Russian law-enforcement, judicial and health authorities to deliberately humiliate Armenian citizen Hrachya Harutiunian,” comments the pro-establishment paper that has traditionally been sympathetic to Russia. It denounces the embassy statement as a “deliberate distortion and hypocrisy.”
“Zhamanak” says a fresh violent incident involving Gyumri’s notorious former Mayor Vartan Ghukasian makes mockery of President Serzh Sarkisian’s promises to ensure that nobody in Armenia acts with impunity. “At least, there are no facts proving the opposite,” the paper says. “If there were, Vartanik and his son would have been behind bars now.”
(Ruzanna Stepanian)