“Zhoghovurd” reports that thousands of Russian citizens living in Armenia voted in Sunday’s Russian presidential election won by the incumbent President Vladimir Putin. Many of them are ethnic Armenians. Citing official data, the paper says that more than 16,000 people have renounced Armenian citizenship to become Russian nationals in the last six years. It is alarmed by this figure, accusing the Armenian authorities of “killing the civic consciousness” of their countrymen.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports on the failure of the three opposition parties making up the Yelk alliance to reach consensus on their joint actions against President Serzh Sarkisian’s plans to extend his rule. The paper says that they agreed on Monday to act separately for that purpose. “It is not hard to guess what decisions the Yelk parties will make separately,” it says. “The supporters of street protests will take to the streets and try to consolidate the public, while the lovers of parliamentary struggle will deliver a couple of passionate speeches.” The paper is highly skeptical about the idea of Yelk nominating its own candidate for the post of prime minister and urging supporters to rally outside the parliament building and demand that the National Assembly appoint that candidate.
“Zhamanak” says that the Armenian parliament committee on foreign relations approved on Monday a draft law that would make it impossible for the next president of the republic, Armen Sarkissian, to sign any international treaties without the government’s consent. The paper describes the bill as “yet another law nullifying the powers of the head of state.”
(Lilit Harutiunian)
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