“Yerkir” comments on a glaring contrast between poor attendance at campaign rallies held by opposition parties and large crowds attending pre-election gatherings held by Armenia’s governing parties. “When even human curiously has no impact there can only be one reason for such [voter] behavior: fear,” writes the paper. “Some fear that the ruling parties will spot them at those [opposition] meetings and will not give promised vote bribes. Some fear losing their jobs. Others think about their relatives working for state agencies.”
“Zhamanak” is alarmed by what it says is a growing number of suicides committed in Armenia. “In normal states and societies they react to that with appropriate steps in at both the governmental and political levels,” writes the paper, complaining that this is not what happens in Armenia. It says this “great indifference” only makes the situation worse. “Parties and political blocs go out their way for the sake of several [parliament] mandates, while ordinary people kill themselves out of desperation,” the paper concludes grimly.
“The Armenian National Congress (HAK) is not in a very advantageous position,” writes “Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun.” “Why? Because it has to collaborate with forces that are, to put it mildly, not ideologically close to it and that is clearly having negative consequences for the current stage of the campaign. But there is a clear explanation to this situation. The thing is that already last year it became obvious that the Congress is not able to carry out regime change single-handedly. HAK leaders frankly admitted that.” In these circumstances, says the pro-HAK daily, the opposition alliance rightly chose to fight against President Serzh Sarkisian’s “monopoly on power” with other forces and “at the expense of its popularity.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” says the election campaign is degenerating in a war of “all against all.” The paper sees serious confrontations within both the government and opposition camps. “In the government field chess is the dominant sport, whereas all sports are at play in the opposition field,” it says.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says the depreciation of the Armenian currency, the dram, is continuing at an “alarming rate.” The pro-opposition paper notes that the dram is weakening despite a continuing sizable increase in remittances from Armenians working abroad.
(Tigran Avetisian)
“Zhamanak” is alarmed by what it says is a growing number of suicides committed in Armenia. “In normal states and societies they react to that with appropriate steps in at both the governmental and political levels,” writes the paper, complaining that this is not what happens in Armenia. It says this “great indifference” only makes the situation worse. “Parties and political blocs go out their way for the sake of several [parliament] mandates, while ordinary people kill themselves out of desperation,” the paper concludes grimly.
“The Armenian National Congress (HAK) is not in a very advantageous position,” writes “Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun.” “Why? Because it has to collaborate with forces that are, to put it mildly, not ideologically close to it and that is clearly having negative consequences for the current stage of the campaign. But there is a clear explanation to this situation. The thing is that already last year it became obvious that the Congress is not able to carry out regime change single-handedly. HAK leaders frankly admitted that.” In these circumstances, says the pro-HAK daily, the opposition alliance rightly chose to fight against President Serzh Sarkisian’s “monopoly on power” with other forces and “at the expense of its popularity.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” says the election campaign is degenerating in a war of “all against all.” The paper sees serious confrontations within both the government and opposition camps. “In the government field chess is the dominant sport, whereas all sports are at play in the opposition field,” it says.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says the depreciation of the Armenian currency, the dram, is continuing at an “alarming rate.” The pro-opposition paper notes that the dram is weakening despite a continuing sizable increase in remittances from Armenians working abroad.
(Tigran Avetisian)