Vagharshak Harutiunian, a former defense minister, tells “Aravot” that President Serzh Sarkisian’s decision to make Armenia part of the Russian-led Customs Union was natural given the growing Russian-Armenian military cooperation and other contacts between the two countries. Harutiunian points to the following statement which Sarkisian made at the Armenian Defense Ministry last year, “Armenia’s main issue is security, which we ensure with the help of the Russian Federation. That is what determines our policy.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” laughs off claims that Shant Harutiunian, the arrested leader of protesters who clashed with riot police in Yerevan on November 5, is a political prisoner. The pro-government paper calls Harutiunian a “half-crazy hooligan.” “True, Shant has a rich arsenal of batons, explosives and swear words and a strong desire to carry out a revolution,” it says with sarcasm. “Admittedly, that is a big deal for a political prisoner. Some will consider this mockery or even see an element of irony. But they will be wrong. What Shant Harutiunian did on November 5 was primarily an indication of severe mental disorder. Nowhere in the world can that tragic state of mind be regarded as proof of being a political prisoner.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that the Armenian government approved on Thursday draft legal amendments that declare information about government-funded goods and services provided to President Serzh Sarkisian, parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian and Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian necessary for their official engagements state secrets. The government attributed this to security considerations. The pro-opposition paper shrugs off this explanation, saying that the authorities are simply “paranoid.”
“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” says the vast majority of Armenians are convinced that the government misuses and embezzles public funds coming from their taxes. The paper says this explains the continuing street protests against the government’s controversial pension reform. It says the government does not want to make any concessions to the protesters and is trying to force them to “capitulate.”
(Naira Bulghadarian)
“Hayots Ashkhar” laughs off claims that Shant Harutiunian, the arrested leader of protesters who clashed with riot police in Yerevan on November 5, is a political prisoner. The pro-government paper calls Harutiunian a “half-crazy hooligan.” “True, Shant has a rich arsenal of batons, explosives and swear words and a strong desire to carry out a revolution,” it says with sarcasm. “Admittedly, that is a big deal for a political prisoner. Some will consider this mockery or even see an element of irony. But they will be wrong. What Shant Harutiunian did on November 5 was primarily an indication of severe mental disorder. Nowhere in the world can that tragic state of mind be regarded as proof of being a political prisoner.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that the Armenian government approved on Thursday draft legal amendments that declare information about government-funded goods and services provided to President Serzh Sarkisian, parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian and Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian necessary for their official engagements state secrets. The government attributed this to security considerations. The pro-opposition paper shrugs off this explanation, saying that the authorities are simply “paranoid.”
“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” says the vast majority of Armenians are convinced that the government misuses and embezzles public funds coming from their taxes. The paper says this explains the continuing street protests against the government’s controversial pension reform. It says the government does not want to make any concessions to the protesters and is trying to force them to “capitulate.”
(Naira Bulghadarian)