“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” scoffs at parliament speaker Samvel Nikoyan’s remark that the Armenian society needs unity and “solidarity” in order to be fully prepared for a possible resumption of large-scale hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. “But who is to blame for the fact that there is no such solidarity in today’s Armenia? If you realize that, who did fill you prisons with political prisoners? Why are you keeping heroes of the unfinished war under arrest?” the pro-opposition paper asks the Armenian authorities.
Dashnaktsutyun leader Vahan Hovannisian tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that his party still has no reason to think that the opposition Zharangutyun party, with which it has tried to cooperate, is acting on orders from Levon Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian National Congress (HAK). Hovannisian says only some Zharangutyun figures can be suspected of doing that. He also argues that Dashnaktsutyun’s cooperation with Zharangutyun has mainly centered on the Turkish-Armenian protocols. “We have some disagreements even on this agenda,” says Hovannisian.
“Aravot” shrugs off the Armenian government’s pledge to again amend the country’s electoral code with the stated aim of further complicating vote irregularities. “That code has been constantly and endlessly improved for the last 18 years,” editorializes the paper. “But the results of that have always been diametrically opposite, with bad elections getting even worse and uglier. The only fair elections were held [in 1990-1991] with an extremely flawed Communist-era law as well as during the first months of Armenia’s independence.”
“Hraparak” reports that Armenia’s National Commission on Television and Radio (HRAH) has approved new guidelines aimed at removing “erotic scenes” and violence from the from the TV air. The guidelines also advise TV companies against “a distorted and inadequate presentation of the existing reality.” The paper brands this clause as illegal because “it enables the HRAH to engage in censorship.” It says news reports aired by Armenian broadcasters are already “thoroughly censored.”
“Kapital” expects Armenia’s foreign debt to pass the $3 billion mark soon. The paper sees “even more dangerous trends” in the situation with the internal public debt. “True, the internal debt is about eight times lower than the external debt but it costs the government a lot more,” explains the business daily. It says interest rates on government bonds and treasury bills have steadily risen since March 2009.
(Tigran Avetisian)
Dashnaktsutyun leader Vahan Hovannisian tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that his party still has no reason to think that the opposition Zharangutyun party, with which it has tried to cooperate, is acting on orders from Levon Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian National Congress (HAK). Hovannisian says only some Zharangutyun figures can be suspected of doing that. He also argues that Dashnaktsutyun’s cooperation with Zharangutyun has mainly centered on the Turkish-Armenian protocols. “We have some disagreements even on this agenda,” says Hovannisian.
“Aravot” shrugs off the Armenian government’s pledge to again amend the country’s electoral code with the stated aim of further complicating vote irregularities. “That code has been constantly and endlessly improved for the last 18 years,” editorializes the paper. “But the results of that have always been diametrically opposite, with bad elections getting even worse and uglier. The only fair elections were held [in 1990-1991] with an extremely flawed Communist-era law as well as during the first months of Armenia’s independence.”
“Hraparak” reports that Armenia’s National Commission on Television and Radio (HRAH) has approved new guidelines aimed at removing “erotic scenes” and violence from the from the TV air. The guidelines also advise TV companies against “a distorted and inadequate presentation of the existing reality.” The paper brands this clause as illegal because “it enables the HRAH to engage in censorship.” It says news reports aired by Armenian broadcasters are already “thoroughly censored.”
“Kapital” expects Armenia’s foreign debt to pass the $3 billion mark soon. The paper sees “even more dangerous trends” in the situation with the internal public debt. “True, the internal debt is about eight times lower than the external debt but it costs the government a lot more,” explains the business daily. It says interest rates on government bonds and treasury bills have steadily risen since March 2009.
(Tigran Avetisian)