“Hayots Ashkhar” believes that contrary to statements made by leaders of the Prosperous Armenia (BHK), Armenian National Congress (HAK) and Zharangutyun parties their October 10 rally in Yerevan did not mark the beginning of a serious political “process.” The paper also plays down the significance of their next rally scheduled for October 24.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says that President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) sees no clear agenda behind the three-party campaign because its own agenda is very obvious and simple: to stay in power in the foreseeable future.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says the three opposition parties need to alter their rhetoric if they are to achieve any of their goals. In particular, the paper says, they should come up with “clear demands” and ultimatums and take concrete actions in case they are rejected by the Armenian government. “At the October 24 rally they could deliver totally new messages that would fill the gaps left on October 10,” writes the paper. “BHK Chairman Gagik Tsarukian promised to deliver a speech at the October 24 rally. Will that speech be program-based than Levon Ter-Petrosian’s speech? We will see.”
“Zhamanak” reveals that Armenia will have “three representatives but only one vote” at the Eurasian Economic Commission, the executive body of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). “This is what is stipulated by Armenia’s accession treaty with the EEU,” reports the paper. “There would have probably been nothing wrong with this if the EEU’s three other member states -- Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan -- had as many votes in the commission.” But each of them has three votes and this, according to the paper, means “absolutely unequal conditions” for Armenia. “This perfectly characterizes Armenia’s place, role and significance in the Eurasian Economic Union,” it says. “We can describe that with a single phrase: humiliating membership.”
“Zhoghovurd” challenges Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian to name large businesses which he says evade taxes. A crackdown on them is the main stated aim of controversial accounting rules that were introduced by Abrahamian’s government for small firms recently. “Everyone in Armenia knows that the biggest [tax evaders] are in the presidential administration, the government and the parliament,” writes the paper. “Officially, they are not entrepreneurs but president, prime minister, ministers and parliament deputies. But maybe Hovik Abrahamian knows other names.”
(Tigran Avetisian)