In an interview with “Hayots Ashkhar,” Justice Minister Gevorg Danielian says the opposition Zharangutyun party was wrong to demand that the amnesty declared by parliament apply only to those individuals who were imprisoned in connection with the March 2008 violence in Yerevan. Danielian says such a move would be unconstitutional. He accuses Zharangutyun of seeking to portray the jailed oppositionists as “innocent victims.”
“It looked as though political activity in the country will subside after the May 31 elections,” writes “Hraparak.” “Especially given that the opposition did not show much diligence in disputing the results of the Yerevan municipal council elections and quickly came to terms with the situation. It was expected that with the advent of summer heat the protesting masses will tire, the parliament will go into recess, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly will forget about Armenia at least until the autumn after adopting yet another resolution. But the release of opposition activists from prisons seems to have changed this predictable course of events created a new situation in the country.”
“Aravot” reacts to pro-government architect Levon Igitian’s admission that he does not like democracy because he primarily associates it with gay marriages. “Usually people don’t like what they don’t need and what hinders them,” editorializes the paper. “In particular, if you can’t achieve your goals with a particular thing, democracy in this case, naturally you will not love it.” Igitian, explains the paper, owes his election to the Yerevan council (on the ruling Republican Party’s ticket) to “criminal elements,” rather than voters.
Lragir.am downplays the significance of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s official visit to Armenia. “The thing is that the relationship between Armenia and Georgia seems to be more about indirectly dealing with third parties, rather than discussing bilateral issues,” writes the online journal. “The problem is that both Armenia and Georgia probably think what matters the most is to solve issues with a third party. And if they are solved, neither Armenia nor Georgia will have the clout and audacity to create for problems for one another.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)