“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” interprets National Security Service chief Gorik Hakobian’s weekend warning to the Armenian opposition as follows: “We know that 90 percent of Armenia’s population wants regime change. We know that the people are fed up and may try to forcibly topple the authorities. But be aware that we have informers everywhere, we have wiretapped everyone, and so you must not dare to take advantage of the popular discontent and spark an uprising.” The pro-opposition paper goes on to denounce Hakobian’s statement as a “classical message from the special services of a totalitarian state.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak”says that Hakobian’s warning, as well as scandalous remarks made by the commander of Armenian interior troops, Levon Yeranosian, and a series of violent attacks on opposition activists herald the start of “a new political period” in the country. “The authorities have set their repressive machine in motion,” claims the paper. It says they will be acting through “criminal elements, oligarchs and law-enforcement bodies.”
“Serzh Sarkisian has patiently waited until the completion of the process of Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union to start striking back,” continues “Haykakan Zhamanak.” “Over the past year Serzh Sarkisian has been more tolerant than ever before … Now he beats up everyone who he thinks has personally insulted him. But this is just a pretext. Just like any dictator, Sarkisian will then start perceiving any political accusation addressed to him as an insult.”
“Zhoghovurd” claims that a private company that operates speed cameras to enforce traffic rules together with the Armenian police earns 17 million drams ($37,000) a day. The paper considers this revenue as an undeserved reward for its shady deals with the authorities.
(Ruzanna Stepanian)