“Zhoghovurd” says that by barring journalists from his inauguration ceremony Armenia’s new President Armen Sarkissian stuck to one of the “vicious practices of his predecessors.” “Only a few representatives of pro-government media outlets were lucky enough to attend the ceremony, while the others had to watch it through the Internet,” complains the paper. “Also, it emerged yesterday that the day after taking office [on Monday] Armen Sarkissian met with a group of Russian journalists. In other words, the newly elected president decided to neglect local media and to communicate with foreign journalists first. Serzh Sarkisian did the same during his tenure. After his well-known gaffes and slips of the tongue he drastically stopped directly talking to [Armenian] media outlets.”
“Zhamanak” shrugs off claims by senior Republican Party (HHK) that Serzh Sarkisian is forced by the HHK to become prime minister. “Are they saying that in order to give Serzh Sarkisian an alibi?” asks the paper. “Or is there a deeper subtext here? The public definitely does not believe that Serzh Sarkisian could become prime minister against his will, under pressure from the HHK. Most people are convinced that it is the HHK that unconditionally executes Serzh Sarkisian’s wishes and orders.”
“Our authorities and opposition deserve each other,” writes “Hraparak.” The paper says the main opposition argument against Sarkisian’s continued rule is his 2014 promise not to become prime minister in 2018, as if there are no other good reasons for his exit. The authorities, it says, respond to the opposition attacks with “more and more ridiculous explanations.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
Facebook Forum