Armenian newspapers focus on the new National Assembly and nominations for leadership positions in it.
“Zhamanak” suggests that the nomination of former health minister Ara Babloyan for the position of parliament speaker shows President Serzh Sarkisian’s distrust towards his own political party: “This is not a new phenomenon, but it gets a new manifestation…This time, however, the matter concerns the speaker of parliament, that is, the leader of the top political body under Armenia’s reformed Constitution. And when Sarkisian expresses his distrust towards the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) by this nomination, then it already becomes an essential challenge to the HHK or its ‘old spirit’. Though, here the matter does not concern a ‘new spirit’ as Ara Babloyan can hardly be described as ‘the HHK’s new spirit’. He is more likely to be a ‘tie’ within the government that Sarkisian registers for now. Sarkisian has no solution at least for now and is simply trying to gain time.”
“Zhoghovurd” calls Babloyan’s nomination a ‘surprise’ as his name was not mentioned among possible candidates and, in general, “he is not considered to be a political figure, even though in 1991-1997 he served as health minister.” Babloyan has not particularly been associated with the HHK either, even though he was number four in the ruling party’s slate during the elections. If we consider the fact that Babloyan is not a discredited person, then his nomination can be considered to be pretty normal. But, on the other hand, his nomination is odd, as besides being an apolitical figure, Babloyan is also quite old – he is 70 years old, a year older than former parliament speaker Galust Sahakian. So, the HHK’s assertions that they have brought ‘fresh’ figures to the National Assembly, in fact, are not true to facts.”
“168 Zham” writes: “The biggest problem of the newly elected parliament is that, like its predecessors, the current legislature is also as much detached from society as it is connected with different threads to the government. And this means that the new parliament in any case will be working not for the public, but for the government, which has lost touch with society from times immemorial and has ensured its reproduction due to this.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
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