“Hayots Ashkhar” divides the contenders of the May 31 elections in Yerevan into three categories: “hopeless underdogs,” political forces that actively contested the previous Armenian elections but feel less than comfortable in the current mayoral race, and the frontrunners. The paper says the latter are the ruling Republican (HHK) and Prosperous Armenia (BHK) parties and the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK). It says the BHK’s election campaign is similar to the HAK’s, mainly taking the form of rallies attended by a considerable number of people.
In an interview with “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun,” parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian downplays the recent violent clashes between HHK and BHK activists. “People are active,” he says. “We should take it easy. There are tensions between all forces. They are trying to take votes from each other.” Abrahamian says he will do “everything” to help the HHK win the May 31 elections despite being friends with BHK leader Gagik Tsarukian.
“Aravot” quotes several opposition figures as commenting on Abrahamian’s claims that President Serzh Sarkisian will call on May 28 a general amnesty for their imprisoned comrades. “I am convinced that the authorities will answer for their illegalities,” says Karapet Rubinian. “I have no doubts that all of the [imprisoned] guys will pursue the cause of [proving] their innocence.” Aram Karapetian, the leader of the Nor Zhamanakner party, calls the amnesty “a good thing from the political standpoint.” But, he says, that alone will not establish the truth about the events of March 1, 2008.
In an interview with “Zhamanak,” Vahagn Khachatrian, a senior member of the HAK, criticizes as politically motivated a controversial government bill that would allow the Armenian tax authorities to have “permanent representatives” to all large companies. “First of all, they would gain total control over businesspeople and make sure that they execute any government order,” says Khachatrian. “The second purpose is to create a network of agents by means of which they would easily solve issues of property distribution. This [initiative] pursues no economic goals because tax bodies know well who pays taxes and who doesn’t and why.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)
In an interview with “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun,” parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian downplays the recent violent clashes between HHK and BHK activists. “People are active,” he says. “We should take it easy. There are tensions between all forces. They are trying to take votes from each other.” Abrahamian says he will do “everything” to help the HHK win the May 31 elections despite being friends with BHK leader Gagik Tsarukian.
“Aravot” quotes several opposition figures as commenting on Abrahamian’s claims that President Serzh Sarkisian will call on May 28 a general amnesty for their imprisoned comrades. “I am convinced that the authorities will answer for their illegalities,” says Karapet Rubinian. “I have no doubts that all of the [imprisoned] guys will pursue the cause of [proving] their innocence.” Aram Karapetian, the leader of the Nor Zhamanakner party, calls the amnesty “a good thing from the political standpoint.” But, he says, that alone will not establish the truth about the events of March 1, 2008.
In an interview with “Zhamanak,” Vahagn Khachatrian, a senior member of the HAK, criticizes as politically motivated a controversial government bill that would allow the Armenian tax authorities to have “permanent representatives” to all large companies. “First of all, they would gain total control over businesspeople and make sure that they execute any government order,” says Khachatrian. “The second purpose is to create a network of agents by means of which they would easily solve issues of property distribution. This [initiative] pursues no economic goals because tax bodies know well who pays taxes and who doesn’t and why.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)