(Saturday, March 14)
“168 Zham” notes that despite approving a constitutional reform framework that calls for Armenia’s transformation into a parliamentary republic President Serzh Sarkisian on Thursday did not exclude that the country’s existing system of governance will undergo only cosmetic changes. “The tone of Serzh Sarkisian’s remarks even gave the impression that he is rather in favor of improving the existing system,” writes the paper. “And this could radically change the logic of political processes.”
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” downplays, however, Sarkisian’s stated misgivings about a switch to the parliamentary republic, saying that he did not clearly explain them. The pro-opposition paper claims that Sarkisian is only concerned with staying in power after 2018 and therefore making sure that Armenia does not become a democracy.
“Zhamanak” believes that the purpose of Sarkisian’s talks with leaders of several opposition parties was to showcase their “capitulation” to the ruling regime, rather than drum up multi-partisan support for the constitutional reform. “That demonstration raised the question of why he needs to destroy the political field so openly,” writes the paper. “The authorities organized an imitation of opposition in Armenia through [Gagik Tsarukian’s] BHK for a fairly long time. But the operation launched against Tsarukian [last month] put an end to that imitation and the authorities exposed a crisis in the Armenian opposition which they had covered up with an artificial structure, the BHK.”
“Zhoghovurd” is concerned about the possibility of the introduction by Russia of a single currency in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), something which it considers a serious threat to Armenia’s independence. The paper points out that in the aftermath of Sarkisian’s unexpected decision in 2013 to join the EEU his political allies and government-lined economists vigorously denied critics’ claims that Yerevan will also eventually accept a Russian-controlled EEU currency. Those denials became less categorical over time. Now, just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed Russia’s Central Bank to examine the wisdom of an EEU currency union, the same government loyalists are saying that an EEU currency is a matter of time, according to the paper.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that the latest series of high-profile shootouts in Armenia highlight the pervasive influence of and impunity enjoyed by local criminal elements. The paper claims that the country’s rulers and Serzh Sarkisian in particular have long relied on them in rigging elections and bullying their opponents. “With constitutional changes coming up, Serzh Sarkisian will again need the criminal underworld’s direct backing very soon,” it says. “He will need to find effective methods of taking people to polling stations.”
(Tigran Avetisian)