(Saturday, April 29)
“Zhoghovurd” says that the Constitutional Court’s decision to reject an opposition appeal and uphold the official results of Armenia’s April 2 parliamentary elections was politically motivated. “Regardless of evidence of fraud presented to it, the Constitutional Court has always dismissed opposition appeals and it did the same yesterday,” writes the paper. “After all, this has long been the sole mission of the body headed by Gagik Harutiunian.”
“The decision by the Constitutional Court certainly did not surprise anyone because it has rubber-stamped [the validity of] every national election held in Armenia since 1996,” writes “Zhamanak.”“The court has validated much more disputed and disgraceful elections. In this sense, the public did not and could not have had any illusions.”
“Hraparak” says that with the next general elections due in 2022, Armenia’s government and new parliament will not care about public opinion for the next five years. “True, the new constitution provides for more democratic mechanisms for referenda, appeals to the Constitutional Court and National Assembly hearings,” writes the paper. “But if public opinion does not matter in the case of direct elections, it will be completely lost and will play no role whatsoever during those indirect procedures.”
“Aravot” comments on the enduring popularity of various conspiracy theories in Armenia. “People jump to conclusions and come up with theories which they do not bother to prove,” the paper complains in an editorial.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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