“Zhoghovurd” sees clear indications that the political crisis in Armenia is nearing a resolution. The paper points out that shortly after meeting former President Serzh Sarkisian on Wednesday the parliamentary faction of his Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) implied that it will help opposition leader Nikol Pashinian get elected prime minister on May 8. “Frankly, many do not believe that the HHK will hand over power without a fight,” the paper says, warning that the HHK will only spark a renewed wave of protests if it fails to honor its pledge.
“Zhamanak” notes that the HHK decided to stop opposing Pashinian’s push for power only one day after engineering a parliament vote against his becoming prime minister. The paper attributes the quick volte face to the renewed anti-government protests staged across Armenia. “But was that enough?” it asks. “Did the HHK not expect to generate such an outburst on May 2 when it scuttled the parliament vote [for Pashinian’s premiership?]” It also wonders whether the Republicans hoped to strike a deal with Gagik Tsarukian and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun).
“Hraparak” says that public fury with the HHK and euphoria about its loss of power is “understandable” because that party has long lost popular trust. In an editorial, the paper at the same time strongly condemns those Pashinian supporters have directed insults and even threats at senior HHK figures, notably female parliamentarians, in recent days.
“Aravot” says that the outside world must not be left with the impression that Serzh Sarkisian and his party have been overthrown violently. “The prime minister of the parliamentary majority has resigned because that majority does not enjoy public support and in order to solve this problem the parliament is electing a minority prime minister and forming a minority government and is going to call pre-term elections,” editorializes the paper.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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