“Haykakan Zhamanak” claims that the Armenian authorities will not try to stop the Russian military from evacuating from Armenia one of its soldiers accused of murdering six people in Gyumri. “This is the essence of Russian-Armenian relations The Russian side is always right,” the paper notes with sarcasm.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” similarly says that the soldier’s escape from Armenian justice is “irreversible.” The paper blames the Armenian government for that.
“Hraparak” denounces the government’s stance as “incomprehensible and intolerable” and says Armenian prosecutors’ arguments regarding the Gyumri murder case are “shameful.” The paper says the authorities in Yerevan are ignoring Russian-Armenian treaties to “please the Russians till the end.”
“They are now probably wondering in their Yerevan offices why Russia is doing such cruel things to them,” writes Lragir.am. The online journal argues that President Serzh Sarkisian’s has done everything to satisfy Moscow over the past year and had reason to expect the Russians to hand over the detained soldier to them without any fuss. “Why did Moscow decide to publicly slap [the Armenian leadership] in the face?” it asks.
“Hraparak” reports that many in Gyumri are angry about the Yerevan government’s failure to declare a day of national mourning or attend church requiems held for the six victims of the shooting spree. “No official delegation, no government representative from the capital has travelled to Gyumri,” says the paper.
(Heghine Buniatian)