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Press Review


“Zhoghovurd” mocks a statement by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) that accused Zaruhi Postanjian, an outspoken opposition parliamentarian, of calling for a violent overthrow of the government. The paper says that the NSS should deal with “real threats to our national security,” instead of commenting on political statements made by opposition leaders. “This is not the first time that the agency headed by Gorik Hakobian voices political threats against the Armenian opposition,” it says. It says that Hakobian personally threatened late last year to jail those who call for regime change in the country.

“Zhamanak” reports that Vahram Baghdasarian, the parliamentary leader of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), has criticized the U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, Richard Mills, for saying that government corruption is a serious obstacle to foreign investment in the Armenian economy. Baghdasarian said this week that Mills’ remarks should not be taken seriously by the Armenian government because they do not reflect the U.S. government’s position.

“At first glance, it looks as though the leader of the ruling party’s parliamentary faction is simply not aware of the ambassador’s functions and the fact that he plays a role in economic links forged between the two countries and represents the position of the country that sent him to Armenia,” writes the paper. “But the fact that the ruling party representatives voiced such claims for several days running means that this is not only his personal opinion.”

Interviewed by “Aravot,” Levon Zurabian, a deputy chairman of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) describes as “historic” the formation by about three dozen opposition and civic groups of a united front against President Serzh Sarkisian’s constitutional changes. “That is a great achievement in itself,” says Zurabian. He claims that the Armenian authorities have thus suffered a “tactical defeat” in their constitutional reform drive because they cannot claim that the proposed amendments enjoy broad-based political support.

(Tigran Avetisian)

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