(Saturday, September 27)
“Zhoghovurd” reports that workers of a bottle plant owned by Melik Manukian, a parliament deputy from the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), were ordered to attend the BHK’s joint rally with the Armenian National Congress (HAK) and the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party that was held in the town of Abovian. The paper says that the BHK’s vast financial resources will also boost attendance at the troika’s October 10 rally in Yerevan. The political situation in Armenia is becoming very “interesting,” it says.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that leaders of the opposition troika shed no light on the concrete aim of their current campaign and ways of attaining it at a rally held in another town, Hrazdan, on Friday. “This is important because there are many forces that need to decide whether or not to join in the process launched by the trio,” explains the paper.
Interviewed by “Hayots Ashkhar,” Hovannes Sahakian, a senior lawmaker from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), ridicules tough anti-government statements made by HAK and Zharangutyun leaders at the latest rallies. Sahakian claims that the HAK and Zharangutyun are simply basking in the BHK’s political and economic clout and are too weak to pose a serious threat to the Armenian government by themselves.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” reports that Suren Khachatrian, the newly reappointed controversial governor of the Syunik province, received a hero’s welcome from government officials and loyalists in his hometown, Goris, on Friday. The paper says that the Goris mayor ordered all local public sector employees to “greet the governor in high spirits.” “In effect, punitive measures against the population of Syunik gave started,” it says. “True, no casualties were reported during the welcoming ceremony. But this is only the beginning.”
“Zhamanak” sees a direct link between Khachatrian’s shock reappointment and the start of the three-party campaign of anti-government protests. “This is Serzh Sarkisian’s gauntlet thrown at not only the public but also the [three] anti-government forces,” comments the paper. It again voices skepticism over their unfolding campaign.
(Heghine Buniatian)