Vache Sarkisian
According to "Hayots Askharh," the main danger in the current parliamentary election campaign is the possibility of calculated provocations organized by radicals who are convinced that they will be defeated. The growing discord between pro-Kocharian political parties is another undesirable trend. The mutual lack of respect, and the insults and attempts to discredit each other by parties competing for parliamentary seats has reached unprecedented levels, the paper says. This trend could damage the chances of pro-government parties to win a majority of seats in the next parliament, "Hayots Askharh" concludes. "Iravunk" too focuses on rivalries within the pro-presidential camp. The paper describes the contest between the ruling Republican Party and the Dashnaktsutiun as a fierce rivalry. "Iravunk" believes that the presidential elections showed that the main support base for Kocharian were not these parties, but non-politicized elements that are now demanding their rewards. The situation looks explosive in those districts where there is a contest between candidates who delivered the votes for Kocharian, but not in districts where pro-government parties face opposition candidates. Those who supported Kocharian during presidential elections will be disillusioned, because it will not be possible to satisfy the appetite of some pro-government candidates, "Iravunk" predicts, adding that Kocharian is apparently not particularly concerned by the danger that the situation in some districts that could turn violent.
The political spectrum of the parliamentary elections is so multicolored that only a new Nostradamus could predict the color of the future parliament. "Aravot" writes. The paper also analyses the tricky situation that exists in both pro-government and opposition camps. Fierce competition exists not only in the pro-government camp, but also among the opposition alliance. According to "Aravot," the opposition has fractured the protest electorate by its uncoordinated actions to such an extent that it would be not be realistic to expect that the new parliament will have a more or less serious opposition. The elections have become a farce where everybody is saying one thing and doing something else. It is impossible now to know who is who, who supports Kocharian and who does not, "Aravot" concludes.
"Ayb Fe" reports that Suren Sureniants, a leading member of the opposition Hanrapetutiun party, has withdrawn his candidacy, complaining that the Ardarutiun opposition alliance has been acting as current circumstances dictate, rather than campaigning on clear-cut political principles.
"Orran" carries an interview with the chairman of the former ruling Armenian Pan-National Movement, Ararat Zurabian, who claims that everything positive that Armenia has achieved was done during his party's rule.
"Yerkir" newspaper writes with regard to the parliamentary election campaign. The paper published the results of its own poll, according to which almost 19 percent of the electorate will vote for the Ardarutiun opposition alliance, while 16.5 percent will vote for the Dashnak party. Another 16.5 percent of the vote will go to Artashes Geghamian's National Unity party, the paper predicts. According to the poll, the ruling Republican Party would receive only 7 percent of the vote.