(Saturday, July 12)
“Hayots Ashkhar” reports on efforts by a number of small Armenian parties to create a “third pole” in the country’s political life. “God willing, one of them will succeed in doing that,” comments the paper. The paper at the same time cautions that given a lack of “national solidarity” in Armenia the search for an alternative to the government and the opposition led by Levon Ter-Petrosian “could further raise the level of aggression in the society.”
“Aravot” comments on Ter-Petrosian demands, voiced at his July 4, for the sacking of several “discredited” government officials. “Let’s just theoretically assume that the president [Serzh Sarkisian] is keen to satisfy the opposition demands,” says the paper. “Accordingly, he should sack Hovik Abrahamian, Armen Gevorgian, Gorik Hakobian, Aghvan Hovsepian and Aleksan Harutiunian. But there are legal obstacles to relieving these officials of their duties.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” tries to sum up Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s 100 days in power. “The public has never heard as many lectures as it has in the past 100 days,” comments the opposition paper. It says that apart from token gestures meant to underline Sarkisian’s resolve to bolster the rule of law little has changed in Armenia. “Road traffic has not become more orderly, the number of unruly drivers in the streets has not decreased, all monopolists have not only retained but further bolstered their positions. Lectures about equal treatment of economic entities have not gone beyond theory. Every day they report ‘sensational’ news about shops evading taxes but there are no arrests. They publicly state that corruption is thriving in the customs but no corrupt customs officer is arrested.” The same is true, according to the paper, for democratic reforms.
“I feel sorry for both the opposition and the authorities,” actor Sos Sargsian tells “Golos Armenii.” “I have a feeling that we have found ourselves in a devilish swamp from which neither the opposition, nor the authorities can get out. They lack the will and the resolve.”
(Karine Kalantarian)
“Hayots Ashkhar” reports on efforts by a number of small Armenian parties to create a “third pole” in the country’s political life. “God willing, one of them will succeed in doing that,” comments the paper. The paper at the same time cautions that given a lack of “national solidarity” in Armenia the search for an alternative to the government and the opposition led by Levon Ter-Petrosian “could further raise the level of aggression in the society.”
“Aravot” comments on Ter-Petrosian demands, voiced at his July 4, for the sacking of several “discredited” government officials. “Let’s just theoretically assume that the president [Serzh Sarkisian] is keen to satisfy the opposition demands,” says the paper. “Accordingly, he should sack Hovik Abrahamian, Armen Gevorgian, Gorik Hakobian, Aghvan Hovsepian and Aleksan Harutiunian. But there are legal obstacles to relieving these officials of their duties.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” tries to sum up Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s 100 days in power. “The public has never heard as many lectures as it has in the past 100 days,” comments the opposition paper. It says that apart from token gestures meant to underline Sarkisian’s resolve to bolster the rule of law little has changed in Armenia. “Road traffic has not become more orderly, the number of unruly drivers in the streets has not decreased, all monopolists have not only retained but further bolstered their positions. Lectures about equal treatment of economic entities have not gone beyond theory. Every day they report ‘sensational’ news about shops evading taxes but there are no arrests. They publicly state that corruption is thriving in the customs but no corrupt customs officer is arrested.” The same is true, according to the paper, for democratic reforms.
“I feel sorry for both the opposition and the authorities,” actor Sos Sargsian tells “Golos Armenii.” “I have a feeling that we have found ourselves in a devilish swamp from which neither the opposition, nor the authorities can get out. They lack the will and the resolve.”
(Karine Kalantarian)