“Zhamanak” speculates that the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) may soon come under stronger pressure from the government. The paper suggests at the same time that President Serzh Sarkisian and BHK leader Gagik Tsarukian have already reached post-election agreements but are delaying their announcement to keep up the uncertainty surrounding the formation of Armenia’s new government. “Yet even that means that the situation within the government remains somewhat tense, even though the official vote results should have presumably meant the opposite and the HHK should have been able to form its government without much fuss,” it says.
“There has never been such post-election calm in Armenia before,” writes “Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun.” “Even in 1991, when Levon Ter-Petrosian was elected president with about 80 percent of the vote, [his election challenger] Paruyr Hayrikian was holding demonstrations with black flags. Now things are quiet. Even political parties can’t be bothered to make statements.” The pro-opposition paper contends that this does not testify to political stability in the country. “Such calm usually descends on incurably ill persons,” it says.
“In essence, we, voters, voted for one group of people but it’s other individuals who will be going to the parliament,” editorializes “Hraparak.” The paper points to the withdrawals from various party lists of a large number of candidates elected to the National Assembly. “This phenomenon is certainly not new. It has been known since the last elections,” it says. “But withdrawals have never so numerous and so unexplained. In effect, party leaders are making arbitrary changes in the lists submitted to the public, and the new parliament will be formed as a result of that. But weren’t voters guided by at least 50 names that topped the original lists?”
“Yerkir” points out that the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) would not have won an absolute majority of seats in the new National Assembly had the May 6 elections been held only on the party-list basis. “Even with the hyper concentration of administrative resources, voter list manipulations and widespread distribution of vote bribes,” says the paper. “Even the 5 percent of the vote won by a pocket party like Orinats Yerkir would have allowed the HHK to realize its dream of having an absolute majority.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” sees a deepening rift within the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK), calling it a “dangerous challenge” facing HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian and his entourage. “The HAK is falling apart at such a speed that it is hard to say whether the seven HAK deputies will feel the bloc’s existence behind their backs when they enter the new parliament,” says the pro-government daily.
(Karlen Aslanian)
“There has never been such post-election calm in Armenia before,” writes “Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun.” “Even in 1991, when Levon Ter-Petrosian was elected president with about 80 percent of the vote, [his election challenger] Paruyr Hayrikian was holding demonstrations with black flags. Now things are quiet. Even political parties can’t be bothered to make statements.” The pro-opposition paper contends that this does not testify to political stability in the country. “Such calm usually descends on incurably ill persons,” it says.
“In essence, we, voters, voted for one group of people but it’s other individuals who will be going to the parliament,” editorializes “Hraparak.” The paper points to the withdrawals from various party lists of a large number of candidates elected to the National Assembly. “This phenomenon is certainly not new. It has been known since the last elections,” it says. “But withdrawals have never so numerous and so unexplained. In effect, party leaders are making arbitrary changes in the lists submitted to the public, and the new parliament will be formed as a result of that. But weren’t voters guided by at least 50 names that topped the original lists?”
“Yerkir” points out that the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) would not have won an absolute majority of seats in the new National Assembly had the May 6 elections been held only on the party-list basis. “Even with the hyper concentration of administrative resources, voter list manipulations and widespread distribution of vote bribes,” says the paper. “Even the 5 percent of the vote won by a pocket party like Orinats Yerkir would have allowed the HHK to realize its dream of having an absolute majority.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” sees a deepening rift within the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK), calling it a “dangerous challenge” facing HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian and his entourage. “The HAK is falling apart at such a speed that it is hard to say whether the seven HAK deputies will feel the bloc’s existence behind their backs when they enter the new parliament,” says the pro-government daily.
(Karlen Aslanian)