“Zhoghovurd” scoffs at President Serzh Sarkisian’s latest demands for law-enforcement authorities to fight against corruption in Armenia. The paper links them to Armenia’s newly signed Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Union. “It is not the first time that Serzh Sarkisian speaks of the fight against corruption,” it says. “During the almost ten years of his presidency he has made statements every year about fighting against corruption and giving new impetus to that fight. His speeches on this subject have often resembled speeches of radical opposition leaders. But the situation has not changed.”
“Zhamanak” also sees a link between the CEPA and Sarkisian’s remarks that were made at a meeting with the leadership of Armenia’s Special Investigative Service (SIS). “On one hand, Sarkisian is trying to show foreign partners and the European Union in particular that he is serious about fulfilling commitments which he assumed through the agreement with the EU,” comments the paper. “On the other hand, he is trying to show the strength of his domestic positions.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” says that the Armenia-EU deal has triggered heated debates among commentators and political analysts in Russia. “Adding to tensions in those discussions is the fact they have led to anti-Armenian propaganda by the Azerbaijani lobby that has grown entrenched in Russia,” writes the paper. It says that “lobby” is portraying Armenia’s European integration drive as an anti-Russian policy. “Anti-Western sentiment among many Russians has deep roots,” it says. “This is why everything coming from the West is often seen as being part of a global conspiracy against their country.”
“Hraparak” says that President Sarkisian still keeps the political class, the media and the public guessing about his political future. “Even his inner circle is said to be uninformed about the course of his thinking,” says the paper. “One thing is clear: there is a ruling majority in the country and it will be making a decision. It is also clear to all of us that in reality that majority will not decide anything. The majority has a leader who is unconditionally accepted by it and whose decisions are not negotiable for that force.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
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