Eduard Sharmazanov, a lawmaker representing the governing Republican Party, tells “Aravot” that his party had “strong reasons” to nominate its senior member Hovik Abrahamian to the post of parliament speaker.
“Ours is not a political party that can approach such an important question in a frivolous manner,” the daily quotes Sharmazanov as saying.
“Taregir” finds that the Armenian authorities have failed to fulfill the demands laid out in the PACE resolution on the way to handle the country’s post-election crisis and writes: “Fist of all about ‘open dialogue’ [between the government and the opposition]. Is it there? No, it is not.”
“It is the first time that [Yerevan’s] authorities grant the opposition’s request for holding a rally after having rejected its bids for dozens of times. Trials of all opposition members are based on police evidence and charges are ‘proven’ on police evidence only,” the paper concludes.
“The first period of the Armenia-Turkey game is over on both the soccer pitch and the diplomatic domain. Armenia lost on the ground,” “Yerkir”, the official press organ of the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), writes. “And what does the future hold in store for Armenia on the diplomatic ground? It is clear that a contest is waiting for us there as well, but God forbid if we play in diplomacy as poorly as we did in soccer.”
“Hraparak” carries an interview with pro-establishment Prosperous Armenia lawmaker Vartan Bostanjian: “The opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will first of all make it possible to ensure an alternative gateway to the outside world, which has a very great importance for the republic today. Besides, an opportunity will be created to have direct trade between the two countries. It will also provide a tremendous stimulus to building an atmosphere of stability and mutual understanding in the region.”
ARF parliament faction leader Vahan Hovannisian tells “Hayots Ashkhar”: “The whole meaning of opening the border for us is that Armenia becomes a country with transit routes. But by this way, we get an exit to a market where our products may prove uncompetitive. In this sense, it is very important that the road from Turkey should also continue farther to the east, that there should be a link with [Azerbaijan’s exclave] Nakhijevan and Iran towards Central Asia, the Indian Ocean and its littoral states. Otherwise, it will be difficult to consider the problem of Armenia’s transport blockade completely solved.”
“Hayk” reports: “Ombudsman Armen Harutiunian sent a letter to Police Chief Alik Sarkisian demanding explanations for ungrounded police cordons in Northern Avenue. Armen Harutiunian informed the police chief that following written complaints from members of the public, upon his instruction workers of his office visited Northern Avenue on September 10 and registered that police cordons stretched from Tumanian Street down to Pushkin Street completely blocking access to the pedestrian boulevard.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports citing its ‘reliable sources’ that the post of the National Assembly chief of staff has been promised to former mayor of the Yerevan district of Arabkir Hovannes Shahinian [who was defeated in last Sunday’s local election]. The pro-opposition daily also says that the former mayor will assume this office after Hovik Abrahamian becomes National Assembly chairman. “This should be viewed as a consolation award for Hovannes Shahinian.”
Under the headline “Parliament on Odnoklassniki.ru”, “Aravot” writes: “Almost in all rooms at the National Assembly, employees and some parliament deputies use office hours for which they are paid from the public coffers to chat on the [popular Russian and former Soviet Union social network service] Odnoklassniki.ru. Sometimes, workers in adjacent rooms prefer ‘virtual’ communication with each other.”
(Hrach Melkumian)
“Ours is not a political party that can approach such an important question in a frivolous manner,” the daily quotes Sharmazanov as saying.
“Taregir” finds that the Armenian authorities have failed to fulfill the demands laid out in the PACE resolution on the way to handle the country’s post-election crisis and writes: “Fist of all about ‘open dialogue’ [between the government and the opposition]. Is it there? No, it is not.”
“It is the first time that [Yerevan’s] authorities grant the opposition’s request for holding a rally after having rejected its bids for dozens of times. Trials of all opposition members are based on police evidence and charges are ‘proven’ on police evidence only,” the paper concludes.
“The first period of the Armenia-Turkey game is over on both the soccer pitch and the diplomatic domain. Armenia lost on the ground,” “Yerkir”, the official press organ of the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), writes. “And what does the future hold in store for Armenia on the diplomatic ground? It is clear that a contest is waiting for us there as well, but God forbid if we play in diplomacy as poorly as we did in soccer.”
“Hraparak” carries an interview with pro-establishment Prosperous Armenia lawmaker Vartan Bostanjian: “The opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will first of all make it possible to ensure an alternative gateway to the outside world, which has a very great importance for the republic today. Besides, an opportunity will be created to have direct trade between the two countries. It will also provide a tremendous stimulus to building an atmosphere of stability and mutual understanding in the region.”
ARF parliament faction leader Vahan Hovannisian tells “Hayots Ashkhar”: “The whole meaning of opening the border for us is that Armenia becomes a country with transit routes. But by this way, we get an exit to a market where our products may prove uncompetitive. In this sense, it is very important that the road from Turkey should also continue farther to the east, that there should be a link with [Azerbaijan’s exclave] Nakhijevan and Iran towards Central Asia, the Indian Ocean and its littoral states. Otherwise, it will be difficult to consider the problem of Armenia’s transport blockade completely solved.”
“Hayk” reports: “Ombudsman Armen Harutiunian sent a letter to Police Chief Alik Sarkisian demanding explanations for ungrounded police cordons in Northern Avenue. Armen Harutiunian informed the police chief that following written complaints from members of the public, upon his instruction workers of his office visited Northern Avenue on September 10 and registered that police cordons stretched from Tumanian Street down to Pushkin Street completely blocking access to the pedestrian boulevard.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports citing its ‘reliable sources’ that the post of the National Assembly chief of staff has been promised to former mayor of the Yerevan district of Arabkir Hovannes Shahinian [who was defeated in last Sunday’s local election]. The pro-opposition daily also says that the former mayor will assume this office after Hovik Abrahamian becomes National Assembly chairman. “This should be viewed as a consolation award for Hovannes Shahinian.”
Under the headline “Parliament on Odnoklassniki.ru”, “Aravot” writes: “Almost in all rooms at the National Assembly, employees and some parliament deputies use office hours for which they are paid from the public coffers to chat on the [popular Russian and former Soviet Union social network service] Odnoklassniki.ru. Sometimes, workers in adjacent rooms prefer ‘virtual’ communication with each other.”
(Hrach Melkumian)