(Saturday, August 10)
Lragir.am comments on some Azerbaijani officials’ claims that Azerbaijan and Turkey plan to create joint armed forces. “It is noteworthy that Russian media outlets have been particularly active in circulating such reports, portraying the creation of such an army as a threat to Armenia,” comments the online publication. “They are pointing out with satisfaction that that army will be armed with Russian weapons.” In fact, it says, the Turkish-Azerbaijani military alliance is primarily a response to the recently announced “merger” of Armenia’s and Nagorno-Karabakh’s armed forces.
“Aravot” quotes Seyran Martirosian, a human rights activist based in Gyumri, as saying that Suren Khachatrian, the recently sacked notorious governor of Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province, will not remain “jobless” for long. “People loyal to this regime have never been banished for good, everyone is in [the regime’s] reserve,” he claims. “If they are removed from one position they will get another one.” “People like the former Syunik governor are extremely important for these authorities,” adds Martirosian.
“Hraparak” carries a commentary on Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s visit to a pro-government youth camp on Lake Sevan, during which he played guitar and sang an Armenian folk song. “This publicity stunt worked and had an impact,” writes the paper. “The prime minister’s team understand that he is better off being mocked and made fun of than being accused of messing up the country, mismanaging the economy and being mired in corruption. But yesterday’s jovial discussion [with young people] also showed that our society needs sincere communication with officials and a humane and down-to-earth behavior by them. We have seen inhibited bureaucrats who are stuck to their positions and have lost human appearance so often that the sight of a singing official is unusual to us.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
Lragir.am comments on some Azerbaijani officials’ claims that Azerbaijan and Turkey plan to create joint armed forces. “It is noteworthy that Russian media outlets have been particularly active in circulating such reports, portraying the creation of such an army as a threat to Armenia,” comments the online publication. “They are pointing out with satisfaction that that army will be armed with Russian weapons.” In fact, it says, the Turkish-Azerbaijani military alliance is primarily a response to the recently announced “merger” of Armenia’s and Nagorno-Karabakh’s armed forces.
“Aravot” quotes Seyran Martirosian, a human rights activist based in Gyumri, as saying that Suren Khachatrian, the recently sacked notorious governor of Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province, will not remain “jobless” for long. “People loyal to this regime have never been banished for good, everyone is in [the regime’s] reserve,” he claims. “If they are removed from one position they will get another one.” “People like the former Syunik governor are extremely important for these authorities,” adds Martirosian.
“Hraparak” carries a commentary on Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s visit to a pro-government youth camp on Lake Sevan, during which he played guitar and sang an Armenian folk song. “This publicity stunt worked and had an impact,” writes the paper. “The prime minister’s team understand that he is better off being mocked and made fun of than being accused of messing up the country, mismanaging the economy and being mired in corruption. But yesterday’s jovial discussion [with young people] also showed that our society needs sincere communication with officials and a humane and down-to-earth behavior by them. We have seen inhibited bureaucrats who are stuck to their positions and have lost human appearance so often that the sight of a singing official is unusual to us.”
(Tigran Avetisian)