“Aravot” comments on Armenia’s vote at the UN General Assembly against a resolution reaffirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity and calling the referendum in Crimea that led to its annexation by Russia illegal. “Thus Armenia ranked itself among quite an unpleasant dozen nations that voted against the resolution on Crimea. For many of us it is certainly a shock, because no one in Armenia would like their country to be in the same group with North Korea, Zimbabwe and others of that ilk. These countries embody corruption, poverty, totalitarianism, all the things that we want to get rid of. But Russia pushes us towards this group of rogue states. And we, most probably, are unable to resist this pressure,” the editor writes.
“Hraparak” draws its readers’ attention to reports coming from the Armenian Foreign Ministry on the eve of the vote that Armenia was going to abstain during the UN General Assembly ballot. “But what happened overnight?” the paper queries. “What pressure has been put on Armenia that it made such a U-turn that placed it among the world’s dictatorships and rogue regimes?”
“Zhoghovurd” suggests that Russia has again shown its “total disregard for Armenia’s interests.” “Such an approach by the Russians is not at all new. Nor is it surprising. It is likely that by making a statement in advance about a possible abstention vote the Armenian side sought to show to the international community that in expressing its position on the Ukrainian issue the Armenian government was under Russia’s insurmountable pressure. Perhaps such a diplomatic gimmick is justified under the circumstances. But it is also obvious that the prestige of Armenia has once again been diminished.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” suggests that due to President Serzh Sarkisian’s “wise” policies Armenia has lost its independence to the degree that it no longer appears to be a full entity in international relations: “In the past Armenia wasn’t particularly strong in international affairs, but now the subjugation of our country has reached its climax. Serzh Sarkisian does not resist much, because in this case such a behavior meets his interests. He is afraid that Russia could suddenly decide to orchestrate a revolution in Armenia.”
In the context of the starting hearings at the Constitutional Court on the issue of the legality of Armenia’s controversial pension reform “Zhamanak” writes: “Unfortunately, in Armenia the Constitutional Court has been regarded not as an independent high judicial instance but as part of the government, its appendage. And the reason for that is that till today the Constitutional Court has always approved decisions going against the interests of the public and the state. This gives the reasons to the public to feel distrust towards the Constitutional Court. Today, the Constitutional Court judges have a historic opportunity to change this distrust and revive faith in society that it can actually change something in this country.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
“Hraparak” draws its readers’ attention to reports coming from the Armenian Foreign Ministry on the eve of the vote that Armenia was going to abstain during the UN General Assembly ballot. “But what happened overnight?” the paper queries. “What pressure has been put on Armenia that it made such a U-turn that placed it among the world’s dictatorships and rogue regimes?”
“Zhoghovurd” suggests that Russia has again shown its “total disregard for Armenia’s interests.” “Such an approach by the Russians is not at all new. Nor is it surprising. It is likely that by making a statement in advance about a possible abstention vote the Armenian side sought to show to the international community that in expressing its position on the Ukrainian issue the Armenian government was under Russia’s insurmountable pressure. Perhaps such a diplomatic gimmick is justified under the circumstances. But it is also obvious that the prestige of Armenia has once again been diminished.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” suggests that due to President Serzh Sarkisian’s “wise” policies Armenia has lost its independence to the degree that it no longer appears to be a full entity in international relations: “In the past Armenia wasn’t particularly strong in international affairs, but now the subjugation of our country has reached its climax. Serzh Sarkisian does not resist much, because in this case such a behavior meets his interests. He is afraid that Russia could suddenly decide to orchestrate a revolution in Armenia.”
In the context of the starting hearings at the Constitutional Court on the issue of the legality of Armenia’s controversial pension reform “Zhamanak” writes: “Unfortunately, in Armenia the Constitutional Court has been regarded not as an independent high judicial instance but as part of the government, its appendage. And the reason for that is that till today the Constitutional Court has always approved decisions going against the interests of the public and the state. This gives the reasons to the public to feel distrust towards the Constitutional Court. Today, the Constitutional Court judges have a historic opportunity to change this distrust and revive faith in society that it can actually change something in this country.”
(Tigran Avetisian)