“Haykakan Zhamanak” hits out at a parliament deputy from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) who decried earlier this week the introduction of a legal “system of corruption whistleblowing” on the grounds that it contradicts Armenian traditions. “We are sure that if this newly elected parliamentarian [Andranik Markarian] had known how shocking his words will be to people he would have immediately refrained from uttering them,” writes the paper. It says that the Dashnaktsutyun leadership must enlighten Karapetian on “what it means to speak from the National Assembly rostrum, who listens to such speeches and what consequences they may have.”
“Aravot” says that Karapetian’s remarks may be condemnable but they reflect a widely held belief in Armenia. “Although in theory we, critics, disagree with Andranik, in real life we usually do what the deputy described,” editorializes the paper.
“Zhoghovurd” reports that the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will arrive in Yerevan on Saturday at the start of a fresh tour of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. “The Karabakh peace process has slowed down of late,” writes the paper. “The last major meeting took place in April in Moscow at the level of foreign ministers. Although there was talk of a meeting of the [Armenian and Azerbaijani] presidents there are still no agreements to that effect. The reason for the slowdown is not only Azerbaijan’s refusal to fulfill [confidence-building] agreements reached in Vienna and Saint Petersburg [last year.] There is also another, more important reason.” It notes that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the other day that the parties continue to disagree on “small but very important details” of a settlement favored by the mediators.
“One of the details applies to the [proposed] referendum on Karabakh’s status: its dates and the circle of eligible participants,” continues “Zhoghovurd.” “Indeed, these are small but very important details.”
“Hraparak” claims that Gevorg Kostanian, Armenia’s former prosecutor-general and current representative to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), has warned against a lawsuit filed against an Armenian civic activist by 30 school principals who were tricked into admitting that they are campaigning for the ruling HHK in recent parliamentary elections. The paper says Kostanian warned the authorities that the ECHR could eventually rule against them if the activist, Daniel Ioannisian, is fined by Armenian courts. “But the supporters of organizing a judicial show prevailed and received the supreme leadership’s go-ahead,” it says.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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