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Press Review


“Aravot” carries an editorial on the fourth of the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan that left ten people dead. “Clashes between security forces and protesters take place almost everywhere,” writes the paper. “Casualties also occur. But after the situation stabilizes developed countries conduct investigations and determine the causes of citizens’ deaths and whether or not security forces acted adequately. No journalist, columnist or politician is in a position to answer that question. That’s something for the courts to decide.”

“Haykakan Zhamanak” publishes an article on the unrest anniversary written by its editor Nikol Pashinian, who played a key role in the opposition protests on March 1, 2008. Pashinian says that the protests were a “historic opportunity to change Armenia.” He says although this opportunity was not used on that day there will be more such occasions in the near future. “We failed to walk through the coveted door of change. But we managed to ensure that that door is not shut,” writes Pashinian. “And this happened as a result of a seemingly simple action. They dispersed the demonstration in the morning but people again rallied several hours later.”

“Hayots Ashkhar” continues to criticize a joint demonstration that was staged by three leading opposition forces outside the parliament building in Yerevan on Monday. The paper notes that only a few hundred people turned out for that rally in support of electoral reform. It says the vast majority of Armenians are simply indifferent to the opposition calls for the May 6 parliamentary elections to be held only according to the system of proportional representation.

“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” says the government and the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) admitted during this week’s parliament debate that they will fail to have a majority in the next parliament if elections held in the 41 single-mandate constituencies are abolished. “The people don’t vote for the HHK but Serzh Sarkisian thinks that is not in our country’s interests,” claims the pro-opposition daily. “That is why they invented a mechanism to make sure that they win a majority no matter how many votes they get in elections.”

(Aghasi Yenokian)
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