“Zhoghovurd” accuses the Armenian judiciary of “sabotaging” the new government, pointing to courts’ refusal to sanction the arrests of individuals accused of attacking protesters in Yerevan in April. The paper notes that those suspects are affiliated or connected with the former Republican Party (HHK). It says that Armenian courts have long administered “selective justice” and used “double standards” at the best of the country’s previous governments. It claims that they remain under the HHK’s influence.
“The Armenian public has never watched the government as attentively as it has in the past month,” writes “Haykakan Zhamanak.” The paper says the public’s reactions to controversial government appointments and some provisions of the new government’s policy program are “acute” because “it regards all that as an omission by its own government.” “And that is good,” it says. The paper goes on to express concern at some of the staff changes made in the national tax and customs services.
Ruben Tadevosian, a senior HHK functionary, tells “Past” that more than 800 members have left Serzh Sarkisian’s party in the last two months. At the same time, the paper reports, many other Armenians have applied for membership in Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. A senior Civil Contract member, Lena Nazarian, is quoted saying that the party leadership is still considering the membership applications.
“Hayots Ashkhar” laments what it sees as a lack of information about what exactly the new government is doing or planning to do in various policy areas. The pro-Sarkisian daily says government officials are now competing with each other in revealing alleged instances of corruption by their predecessor. “They can’t constantly rattle sabers,” it says. “They need to choose smart tactics.”
“Zhamanak” reports that the jailed leaders of an armed opposition group that seized a police station in Yerevan in 2016 on Tuesday voiced full support for Pashinian’s government. The paper wonders if they reached a deal with Pashinian or simply made a unilateral move. “It’s much more likely that they are making political overtures to the government,” it says, adding that they may be hoping that the move will facilitate their release from prison.
(Anush Mkrtchian)
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