(Saturday, April 18)
“Aravot” quotes a Russian political expert, Vladimir Milov, as commenting on what has become a pattern in former Soviet republics. “At first, elections are rigged in favor of the ruling force, then the protesting opposition takes its supporters to the streets, and then groups of rioters and provocateurs suddenly appear on the streets and start smashing government buildings,” says Milov. “After that the authorities brand peaceful demonstrators as organizers of riots, showing pictures of devastation and directing the public’s sympathy to the ruling regime.” He says that “this technique was successfully applied in Armenia a year ago and in Moldova now.” “In both cases, the emergence of rampaging provocateurs was unexpected for the opposition,” adds the analyst.
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that both the Armenian government and the opposition have “erased the word concession from their vocabulary.” “And yet that [word] is one of the central concepts in political life,” says the pro-establishment paper. “As a result, the parties make decisions on the basis of not their sensibility and usefulness for the people and the state but totally different considerations” it says. “That is, to what can extent will [those decisions] coincide what their foe has ever demanded?”
Speaking to “Hraparak,” David Harutiunian, head of the Armenian delegation at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), maintains that the Strasbourg-based body will not debate the political situation in Armenia at its upcoming session. Harutiunian is confident that the PACE’s Monitoring Committee will not demand an urgent debate on the issue next week.
“It is already evident that in the elections of Yerevan mayor the Republican Party’s tactic will be solely based on fraud,” alleges “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun.” “Fraud is the most important characteristic of the Republican Party’s current activities. In all spheres.” The opposition paper condemns in that regard the central government’s decision to provide about $3 million in extra funding to Yerevan’s Republican Mayor Gagik Beglarian for “the city’s needs.”
“Kapital” quotes former Prime Minister Armen Darpinian as saying in a speech on Friday that Armenia’s economy is suffering from the so-called “Dutch disease.” Speaking at an economic seminar in Yerevan, Darpinian cited the country’s heavy dependence on private remittances from abroad. “According to him, Armenia has to move ten years back and again protect domestic manufacturers,” says the business paper. Darpinian also dismissed government pledges to turn Armenia into a regional “financial center.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)
“Aravot” quotes a Russian political expert, Vladimir Milov, as commenting on what has become a pattern in former Soviet republics. “At first, elections are rigged in favor of the ruling force, then the protesting opposition takes its supporters to the streets, and then groups of rioters and provocateurs suddenly appear on the streets and start smashing government buildings,” says Milov. “After that the authorities brand peaceful demonstrators as organizers of riots, showing pictures of devastation and directing the public’s sympathy to the ruling regime.” He says that “this technique was successfully applied in Armenia a year ago and in Moldova now.” “In both cases, the emergence of rampaging provocateurs was unexpected for the opposition,” adds the analyst.
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that both the Armenian government and the opposition have “erased the word concession from their vocabulary.” “And yet that [word] is one of the central concepts in political life,” says the pro-establishment paper. “As a result, the parties make decisions on the basis of not their sensibility and usefulness for the people and the state but totally different considerations” it says. “That is, to what can extent will [those decisions] coincide what their foe has ever demanded?”
Speaking to “Hraparak,” David Harutiunian, head of the Armenian delegation at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), maintains that the Strasbourg-based body will not debate the political situation in Armenia at its upcoming session. Harutiunian is confident that the PACE’s Monitoring Committee will not demand an urgent debate on the issue next week.
“It is already evident that in the elections of Yerevan mayor the Republican Party’s tactic will be solely based on fraud,” alleges “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun.” “Fraud is the most important characteristic of the Republican Party’s current activities. In all spheres.” The opposition paper condemns in that regard the central government’s decision to provide about $3 million in extra funding to Yerevan’s Republican Mayor Gagik Beglarian for “the city’s needs.”
“Kapital” quotes former Prime Minister Armen Darpinian as saying in a speech on Friday that Armenia’s economy is suffering from the so-called “Dutch disease.” Speaking at an economic seminar in Yerevan, Darpinian cited the country’s heavy dependence on private remittances from abroad. “According to him, Armenia has to move ten years back and again protect domestic manufacturers,” says the business paper. Darpinian also dismissed government pledges to turn Armenia into a regional “financial center.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)