“Aravot” questions the notion that Armenia is still undergoing a transition to democracy and the free market. “The impression is that we are not moving anywhere anymore,” editorializes the paper. “An absolutely stable period has taken hold here to the joy of the authorities, their supporters and other beneficiaries of that stability. Twelve or thirteen years ago, when there was a war and the economic situation was terrible, the West’s expectations from us were greater than they are now that nothing disastrous is happening. Those expectations have since turned into a polite disdain.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” accuses David Shahnazarian, an opposition politician who headed Armenia’s National Security Service during the 1990s, of spreading “disinformation” during his recent trip to the United States. The pro-government daily is angry about Shahnazarian’s claims that the Armenian authorities are “the Russian outpost in the region.” It fears that the U.S. government could use those claims to “substantiate the rejection of any assistance to Armenia” in the future. “When a former head of Armenia’s national security system tries to use his rich knowledge of our country for making it vulnerable, all of that smacks of treason.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” also discusses unfolding disputes among political parties over the distribution of seats in the election commissions, saying that they are overestimating the importance of those bodies. The paper says the parties want to use commission seats not only for affecting election results but also as a “lucrative business.”
“Aravot” reports that members of Armenia’s Public Service Regulatory Commission met on Tuesday with the head of the national power utility to discuss its de facto sale to Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (UES) monopoly. “According to preliminary evaluations, there have been certain violations of the terms of the operating license and the [2002] privatization of the Electricity Networks of Armenia. If in the network director doesn’t provide explanations satisfying the commission within the next 15 days, he will face sanctions envisaged by the law. The company may also lose the license.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” reports that the Yerevan municipality says it has raised the fees charged by private minibuses in an effort to boost the revenues of public buses circulating in the city. The paper finds this justification “weird.” “Instead of addressing the problem by means of an efficient policy, they have found the easiest variant: They are urging the owners of minibus lines to raise the fares so that commuters have to use buses … There are all the grounds to believe that there is an attempt to once again increase profits made by the minibus line owners.”
(Atom Markarian)
“Hayots Ashkhar” accuses David Shahnazarian, an opposition politician who headed Armenia’s National Security Service during the 1990s, of spreading “disinformation” during his recent trip to the United States. The pro-government daily is angry about Shahnazarian’s claims that the Armenian authorities are “the Russian outpost in the region.” It fears that the U.S. government could use those claims to “substantiate the rejection of any assistance to Armenia” in the future. “When a former head of Armenia’s national security system tries to use his rich knowledge of our country for making it vulnerable, all of that smacks of treason.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” also discusses unfolding disputes among political parties over the distribution of seats in the election commissions, saying that they are overestimating the importance of those bodies. The paper says the parties want to use commission seats not only for affecting election results but also as a “lucrative business.”
“Aravot” reports that members of Armenia’s Public Service Regulatory Commission met on Tuesday with the head of the national power utility to discuss its de facto sale to Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (UES) monopoly. “According to preliminary evaluations, there have been certain violations of the terms of the operating license and the [2002] privatization of the Electricity Networks of Armenia. If in the network director doesn’t provide explanations satisfying the commission within the next 15 days, he will face sanctions envisaged by the law. The company may also lose the license.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” reports that the Yerevan municipality says it has raised the fees charged by private minibuses in an effort to boost the revenues of public buses circulating in the city. The paper finds this justification “weird.” “Instead of addressing the problem by means of an efficient policy, they have found the easiest variant: They are urging the owners of minibus lines to raise the fares so that commuters have to use buses … There are all the grounds to believe that there is an attempt to once again increase profits made by the minibus line owners.”
(Atom Markarian)