“Zhamanak” claims that the biggest external challenges facing Armenia emanate from Russia and its nominal “Eurasian allies” such as Kazakhstan. The paper also speculates that U.S. President Barack Obama’s latest visit to Europe could shed light on “what new blows Russia may deal to Armenia.”
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says that Armenia’s four leading opposition parties should not be criticized for their failure to discuss last week’s Eurasian Union summit in Astana at the latest meeting of their parliamentary leaders. The pro-opposition paper argues that it was Serzh Sarkisian, not the opposition, that abruptly decided to join that union last year and failed to respond to Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s pro-Azerbaijani remarks made at Astana. “True, the quartet is also to blame because of its passive stance. But isn’t it obvious that the main culprit is Serzh Sarkisian?” asks the paper.
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that the opposition was wrong-footed by Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s resignation in April and has since been trying to figure out what to do next. “The prime minister’s resignation marked the beginning of a grueling uncertainty within the [opposition] quartet,” writes the pro-government paper.
“Zhoghovurd” claims that the price of Russian natural gas supplied to Armenia has again risen. “The Armenian authorities are keeping this fact secret as they have done before, after the gas price at the border went up in 2011 and the government secrecy caused Armenia to incur a $300 million debt [to Russia,]” writes the paper. It says the latest price hike, indicated by import data from the Armenian customs service, comes after a highly controversial agreement signed by the Armenian government and Russia’s Gazprom giant late last year.
(Tigran Avetisian)
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says that Armenia’s four leading opposition parties should not be criticized for their failure to discuss last week’s Eurasian Union summit in Astana at the latest meeting of their parliamentary leaders. The pro-opposition paper argues that it was Serzh Sarkisian, not the opposition, that abruptly decided to join that union last year and failed to respond to Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s pro-Azerbaijani remarks made at Astana. “True, the quartet is also to blame because of its passive stance. But isn’t it obvious that the main culprit is Serzh Sarkisian?” asks the paper.
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that the opposition was wrong-footed by Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s resignation in April and has since been trying to figure out what to do next. “The prime minister’s resignation marked the beginning of a grueling uncertainty within the [opposition] quartet,” writes the pro-government paper.
“Zhoghovurd” claims that the price of Russian natural gas supplied to Armenia has again risen. “The Armenian authorities are keeping this fact secret as they have done before, after the gas price at the border went up in 2011 and the government secrecy caused Armenia to incur a $300 million debt [to Russia,]” writes the paper. It says the latest price hike, indicated by import data from the Armenian customs service, comes after a highly controversial agreement signed by the Armenian government and Russia’s Gazprom giant late last year.
(Tigran Avetisian)