“Azg” says that Lebanese-Armenian activist Zhirayr Sefilian was arrested and is facing prosecution on coup charges because he refused to stick to the “rules of the game” governing Armenian politics. “Sefilian was trying to create some new structures that would not fit into the defined framework,” says the paper. “His supporters speak of fair elections and honesty. Nobody, and especially the authorities, has such plans. This predictable opposition, which only makes noise and lets off steam, is beneficial for our authorities.
“But stopping this Sefilian-led movement, which aimed to resist any return of liberated territories and to promote the national ideology and national interests, would have been impossible,” continues “Azg.” “Hence, the hasty decision: to get Sefilian right now, a couple of weeks before the New Year, break up the momentum of his structures in the next few months, after which he will hardly have time to catch up with the electoral race.”
“Azg” also reports that the spiritual leader of Turkey’s Armenian community, Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian, has written to European Union leaders to express concern about their decision to suspend membership negotiations with Turkey. “The process of Turkey’s accession to the EU is the top priority of the Turkish people,” he wrote, adding that it has spurred important political and economic reforms in the country.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” asks Albert Bazeyan, a prominent opposition figure, to explain why he and his National Revival Party have kept a low profile of late. “What do you want us to do?” he replies. “We don’t obey, don’t accept the regime. This is the situation now. It is our business, our right.”
“Iravunk” quotes Samvel Babayan, the former commander of Nagorno-Karabakh’s army who now leads the Dashink (Alliance) party, as saying that internal and foreign policies pursued by the Armenian authorities are “not correct” and “unsatisfactory.” “The policy of resettling the liberated territories [in Azerbaijan] has failed,” he says.
“No normal person will now seek to become a member of Armenia’s National Assembly because they do not want to find themselves among opportunistic idiots who consider themselves businessmen,” writes “Aravot.” “In sum, there are no serious justifications for engaging in politics in Armenia. That is the reason why those who are engaged in politics have other motives that are far from politics.”
(Atom Markarian)
“But stopping this Sefilian-led movement, which aimed to resist any return of liberated territories and to promote the national ideology and national interests, would have been impossible,” continues “Azg.” “Hence, the hasty decision: to get Sefilian right now, a couple of weeks before the New Year, break up the momentum of his structures in the next few months, after which he will hardly have time to catch up with the electoral race.”
“Azg” also reports that the spiritual leader of Turkey’s Armenian community, Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian, has written to European Union leaders to express concern about their decision to suspend membership negotiations with Turkey. “The process of Turkey’s accession to the EU is the top priority of the Turkish people,” he wrote, adding that it has spurred important political and economic reforms in the country.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” asks Albert Bazeyan, a prominent opposition figure, to explain why he and his National Revival Party have kept a low profile of late. “What do you want us to do?” he replies. “We don’t obey, don’t accept the regime. This is the situation now. It is our business, our right.”
“Iravunk” quotes Samvel Babayan, the former commander of Nagorno-Karabakh’s army who now leads the Dashink (Alliance) party, as saying that internal and foreign policies pursued by the Armenian authorities are “not correct” and “unsatisfactory.” “The policy of resettling the liberated territories [in Azerbaijan] has failed,” he says.
“No normal person will now seek to become a member of Armenia’s National Assembly because they do not want to find themselves among opportunistic idiots who consider themselves businessmen,” writes “Aravot.” “In sum, there are no serious justifications for engaging in politics in Armenia. That is the reason why those who are engaged in politics have other motives that are far from politics.”
(Atom Markarian)