“Zhoghovurd” wonders why the 2008 post-election “massacre” in Yerevan did not spark the kind of public outrage that followed the June 17 deadly violence at the Harsnakar restaurant. “Apparently the reason for this is that in the past four years and especially the last one year the society has finally realized that it should fight for the protection of its interests, rights and even life without pinning hopes on any political force because the activities of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) … have demonstrated that losses and casualties suffered in the [2008] clash of political interests are very quickly forgotten in case of a convergence of those political interests,” writes the paper. “So much so that former murderers, butchers and figures with blood-stained hands are being smoothly turned into [HAK] partners and even possible common presidential candidates.”
“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” says that Armenia’s main opposition parties are unlikely to agree on a common candidate for the 2013 presidential election. “In fact, negotiations on a single candidate are more beneficial for Serzh Sarkisian and here is why,” writes the pro-HAK daily. “First of all, in one way or another, those negotiations will be turned into mutual recriminations, which will offer the regime’s propaganda machine moments of euphoria. Second, the society will hardly have a positive opinion about those political forces which think that it is possible to seriously negotiate with, say, Zharangutyun [party] on a common candidate.”
In an interview with “168 Zham,” Armen Martirosian, Zharangutyun’s deputy chairman, effectively confirms that the party will nominate its leader, Raffi Hovannisian, for the presidency. “I think that in the opposition political field there are currently no leaders that are more charismatic than Raffi Hovannisian and there is no better candidate with so much consolidating potential,” he says. Martirosian also says that HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian cannot be a single opposition candidate because he “constantly repels people” instead of consolidating them.
Lyudmila Sargsian, a senior HAK figure, tells “Aravot” that those oppositionists who have left the opposition alliance in recent months are effectively helping the authorities to weaken and break up the “popular movement” led by Ter-Petrosian. “In some case, it can be said that the HAK was cleansed, but in other cases it really hurt me to see that our partners could not get over some problems and continue our joint struggle,” she says.
(Aghasi Yenokian)
“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” says that Armenia’s main opposition parties are unlikely to agree on a common candidate for the 2013 presidential election. “In fact, negotiations on a single candidate are more beneficial for Serzh Sarkisian and here is why,” writes the pro-HAK daily. “First of all, in one way or another, those negotiations will be turned into mutual recriminations, which will offer the regime’s propaganda machine moments of euphoria. Second, the society will hardly have a positive opinion about those political forces which think that it is possible to seriously negotiate with, say, Zharangutyun [party] on a common candidate.”
In an interview with “168 Zham,” Armen Martirosian, Zharangutyun’s deputy chairman, effectively confirms that the party will nominate its leader, Raffi Hovannisian, for the presidency. “I think that in the opposition political field there are currently no leaders that are more charismatic than Raffi Hovannisian and there is no better candidate with so much consolidating potential,” he says. Martirosian also says that HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian cannot be a single opposition candidate because he “constantly repels people” instead of consolidating them.
Lyudmila Sargsian, a senior HAK figure, tells “Aravot” that those oppositionists who have left the opposition alliance in recent months are effectively helping the authorities to weaken and break up the “popular movement” led by Ter-Petrosian. “In some case, it can be said that the HAK was cleansed, but in other cases it really hurt me to see that our partners could not get over some problems and continue our joint struggle,” she says.
(Aghasi Yenokian)