“Zhamanak” comments on Thursday’s parliament debate on the policy program of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government submitted to the National Assembly. The paper singles out Pashinian’s remark that he is willing to delay fresh parliamentary elections by several months in order to give other political forces a better chance of doing well in them. It welcomes this stance, while saying that Armenia has already entered a pre-election period.
“Zhoghovurd” notes that the debate was marred by “cruel” and “humiliating” verbal attacks on deputies from Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) launched by their colleagues from Gagik Tsarukian’s alliance. “This was certainly expected,” writes the paper. “The Tsarukian Bloc had old scores to settle with a number of Republicans. And since the HHK has lost power but is continuing to mock opponents Republicans got a riposte, a fairly cruel and humiliating.” It says that as much as they are logical such manifestations are “dangerous” and must be avoided by the new government.
“Hayots Ashkhar” is unimpressed with the government program, saying that it looks more like an election campaign manifesto. “The government program starts with a glorification of the ‘velvet revolution’ in Armenia and ends with a justification for fresh parliamentary elections needed for completing it,” writes the paper. “In between them there are only general slogans regarding everyone’s equality before the law, eradication of corruption, creation of necessary conditions for people’s dignified lives and other nice wishes.”
“If pre-term parliamentary elections are held then a party called the HHK will not be elected to the [new] parliament,” editorializes “Aravot.” “One should therefore not make efforts to fight against a non-existent party.” The paper says Armenia’s previous ruling parties collapsed shortly after losing power and the same fate awaits the HHK. “So the danger lies not in an HHK comeback … The danger is scarier. The political force that takes over the government after the elections, be it [Pashinian’s] Civil Contract or [Tsarukian’s] BHK, must not become a new HHK in terms of its behavior and methods. At the moment there are virtually no such indications. But … there were also no such indications in 1990-1991.”
(Tigran Avetisian)