“Zhoghovurd” denounces what it sees as a power grab by Serzh Sarkisian, comparing him to the late Leonid Brezhnev who governed the Soviet Union for nearly two decades. The paper says that Sarkisian’s speech in the parliament on Tuesday was “full of various lies,” including the claim that his HHK party did not hand out vote bribes during the April 2017 parliamentary elections. It specifically disproves the incoming prime minister’s claim that no international election monitoring body alleged widespread vote buying in the polls. It cites an excerpt from a post-election report released by a monitoring mission deployed in Armenia by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
“Zhamanak” says Sarkisian only briefly mentioned the ongoing street demonstrations against his rule. The paper says that his calls for opposition leader Nikol Pashinian to return “from the street to the parliament” are not realistic. “Pashinian sees his activities only on the street,” it explains. “Does the government see any other option? Judging from Serzh Sarkisian’s behavior in the parliament, the government sees no other option and thinks that by not using force it is already making a big concession.”
“Nothing tragic or encouraging has occurred,” writes “Hraparak.” “So one must neither bemoan nor rejoice in connection with Serzh Sarkisian being elected prime minister.” The paper says that only those individuals whose lifestyles and livelihoods hinge on Sarkisian’s rule are “euphoric” about his new post.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” cites reports that the ruling HHK is mobilizing “criminal elements” in Yerevan for violent “provocations” against participants of the anti-Sarkisian rallies. The paper cites photographs of at least two meetings of such individuals disseminated by online and social media. “Besides, cars without license plates were spotted near the HHK headquarters,” it says. The pro-opposition daily alleges that the ruling party was behind a late-night violent incident in downtown Yerevan.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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