“168 Zham” claims that most Armenians have no opinions on President Serzh Sarkisian’s constitutional reform because they have “stopped treating politics and political forces as tools and means for improving their lives.” The paper says this is what makes Armenia different from “normal countries.”
“Hraparak” sees growing government “pressure” on voters ahead of the December 6 constitutional referendum. The paper quotes unnamed police officers from the Armenian town of Echmiadzin as saying that they have been instructed by their superiors to get not only their relatives but also neighbors to vote for the constitutional amendments drafted by the Sarkisian administration. “I can explain to my family that I could lose my job, but how can I convince by neighbors to say yes?” one of them complains. “Why would my neighbors care about what my boss would do to me?”
“Hayots Ashkhar” claims to have trouble understanding what exactly opponents of the constitutional reform are fighting for. “In essence, the No camp is fighting to keep the existing constitution and political system unchanged,” writes the pro-government daily. “This raises the question of whether those forces have achieved much success under the existing constitution and political system.”
“Aravot” draws parallels between the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and the Soviet Communist Party. The paper says that former President Levon Ter-Petrosian led a similar political party during the last few years of his rule.
“Zhoghovurd” says that the liberalization two years ago of Armenia’s civil aviation sector has still not produced results promised by the government. In particular, the paper says, Armenia has been left without a major domestic airline. Air Armenia, a private carrier which stopped its regular flights abroad last year, was declared bankrupt by an Armenian court earlier this month. The court ruling resulted from a lawsuit filed by one of Air Armenia’s creditors, the HSBC Armenia bank.
(Armen Koloyan)