“Haykakan Zhamanak” comments on Energy Minister Armen Movsisian’s remark that membership in the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would make Russian natural gas cheaper for Armenia. The paper believes that Movsisian reflected the official position of Armenia’s government and President Serzh Sarkisian in particular. It goes on to claim that the Sarkisian administration has decided to join the union and thus turn Armenia into a “Russian province.”
“Zhamanak” reports that President Serzh Sarkisian accused Azerbaijan and Turkey of regarding Europe as “a market and not a value system” during an official visit to Poland on Tuesday. “Serzh Sarkisian is certainly right,” comments the paper. “But the implication of his statement is that Europe is a value system for Armenia or rather Armenia’s leadership. Is this really the case? In terms of a market-based perception of Europe, Serzh Sarkisian and his administration are not that different from Ankara and Baku. The only difference is probably one of scale … A government regarding Europe as a value system fights against corruption, ensures free economic competition, does not sell the country to oligarchs … and does not rig elections.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” says Armenians now expect law-enforcement bodies to take “rapid and resolute actions” in response to the latest corruption allegations made by the Audit Chamber. “There may not be a better opportunity to start cleansing the state apparatus from thieves and corrupt officials,” says the paper. It suggests that “the thieves have felt something and will flee abroad soon.” “Perhaps they must be arrested now, before it’s too late,” it adds.
“Orakarg” quotes Ashot Manucharian, a veteran politician, as telling Civilnet.am that Russia is selling weapons to Azerbaijan because it does not want to lose the Caucasus. “Both Armenia and Azerbaijan and Georgia are critical for Russia,” he says. “Now its real ally is Armenia and our significance is great. But that does not mean that we should get capricious and say [to the Russians] that they must not do this or that.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
“Zhamanak” reports that President Serzh Sarkisian accused Azerbaijan and Turkey of regarding Europe as “a market and not a value system” during an official visit to Poland on Tuesday. “Serzh Sarkisian is certainly right,” comments the paper. “But the implication of his statement is that Europe is a value system for Armenia or rather Armenia’s leadership. Is this really the case? In terms of a market-based perception of Europe, Serzh Sarkisian and his administration are not that different from Ankara and Baku. The only difference is probably one of scale … A government regarding Europe as a value system fights against corruption, ensures free economic competition, does not sell the country to oligarchs … and does not rig elections.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” says Armenians now expect law-enforcement bodies to take “rapid and resolute actions” in response to the latest corruption allegations made by the Audit Chamber. “There may not be a better opportunity to start cleansing the state apparatus from thieves and corrupt officials,” says the paper. It suggests that “the thieves have felt something and will flee abroad soon.” “Perhaps they must be arrested now, before it’s too late,” it adds.
“Orakarg” quotes Ashot Manucharian, a veteran politician, as telling Civilnet.am that Russia is selling weapons to Azerbaijan because it does not want to lose the Caucasus. “Both Armenia and Azerbaijan and Georgia are critical for Russia,” he says. “Now its real ally is Armenia and our significance is great. But that does not mean that we should get capricious and say [to the Russians] that they must not do this or that.”
(Tigran Avetisian)