Press Review

“Thank God, Gagik Tsarukian does not seem to be nominating his [presidential] candidacy,” “Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” writes in anticipation of his decision announced on Wednesday. “We say thank God not in the sense that he would make a less worthy candidate than Serzh Sarkisian but because even if he got 99 percent of votes he would not be allowed to become president … Therefore Gagik Tsarukian made the right decision. You can’t participate in a game with unclear rules.”

“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that if Tsarukian does pull out of the presidential race that will mean that the election-related events of the last several months were part of “Serzh Sarkisian’s camouflaged election campaign.” The paper says the authorities had calculated that this masquerade will also make Armenians too apathetic to challenge the government during the election. It is also unhappy with the continuing uncertainty over Armenian National Congress (HAK) leader Levon Ter-Petrosian’s electoral plans and political future in general.

“Zhoghovurd” notes that Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) has been the focal point of political developments in Armenia in the last six months. “That is a huge achievement for an essentially artificial political party that lacks an ideology and has existed for only five years,” writes the paper. It says the BHK cannot carry on with its ambiguous rhetoric and activities anymore.

“Hraparak” says that for many years President Serzh Sarkisian and his two predecessors, Robert Kocharian and Levon Ter-Petrosian, have “uprooted all those who could have grown and occupied their place.” “The same thing has been done by their teammates,” claims the paper.

“On February 18 Armenia will elect president for a sixth time,” writes “Azg.” “The presidential campaign and elections are threatening to become the most pathetic [in the country’s history.]”

(Tigran Avetisian)