(Saturday, June 20)
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says Serzh Sarkisian may have granted amnesty to dozens of “political prisoners” but he has not forgiven any of them “deep down.” “Surely he realizes that those fighting against him are fighting for the rule of law,” writes the paper. “And if law ruled in Armenia he would now be not a president but unemployed at best.”
“Hayk” says that by failing to extend the amnesty to all arrested oppositionists Sarkisian and his loyal parliamentary majority missed an opportunity to “substantially ease tension” in Armenia. “Deputies of the National Assembly never found the courage to accept the necessity of releasing all political prisoners, regardless of the length of their prison sentences and the charges they were convicted of,” says the paper.
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that the Armenian opposition led by Levon Ter-Petrosian will continue to seek strong Western pressure on the Sarkisian administration despite its repeated criticism of Western governments. The pro-presidential daily says Ter-Petrosian lied when he said at his last rally that he will not raise the issue anymore because he has finally lost faith in the West. “In fact, their actions contradict their own words,” it says.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that the special parliamentary commission investigating the March 2008 violence in Yerevan is trying to ignore a second report that was submitted to it by the now defunct bipartisan Fact-Finding Group of Experts. The report published by the paper accuses the Armenian police of mishandling riot equipment and, in particular, tear gas grenades during the deadly clashes with opposition protesters in Yerevan. The report calls for a criminal investigation into the actions of the top officers of Armenian interior troops.
“Almost half of vodka sold in Armenia is fake,” Avag Harutiunian, chairman of the Armenian Union of Wine-Makers, tells “Novoye Vremya.” “There are no official statistics on this. There are only expert estimates that are not far from reality.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” says Serzh Sarkisian may have granted amnesty to dozens of “political prisoners” but he has not forgiven any of them “deep down.” “Surely he realizes that those fighting against him are fighting for the rule of law,” writes the paper. “And if law ruled in Armenia he would now be not a president but unemployed at best.”
“Hayk” says that by failing to extend the amnesty to all arrested oppositionists Sarkisian and his loyal parliamentary majority missed an opportunity to “substantially ease tension” in Armenia. “Deputies of the National Assembly never found the courage to accept the necessity of releasing all political prisoners, regardless of the length of their prison sentences and the charges they were convicted of,” says the paper.
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that the Armenian opposition led by Levon Ter-Petrosian will continue to seek strong Western pressure on the Sarkisian administration despite its repeated criticism of Western governments. The pro-presidential daily says Ter-Petrosian lied when he said at his last rally that he will not raise the issue anymore because he has finally lost faith in the West. “In fact, their actions contradict their own words,” it says.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that the special parliamentary commission investigating the March 2008 violence in Yerevan is trying to ignore a second report that was submitted to it by the now defunct bipartisan Fact-Finding Group of Experts. The report published by the paper accuses the Armenian police of mishandling riot equipment and, in particular, tear gas grenades during the deadly clashes with opposition protesters in Yerevan. The report calls for a criminal investigation into the actions of the top officers of Armenian interior troops.
“Almost half of vodka sold in Armenia is fake,” Avag Harutiunian, chairman of the Armenian Union of Wine-Makers, tells “Novoye Vremya.” “There are no official statistics on this. There are only expert estimates that are not far from reality.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)