“Zhoghovurd” claims that former President Robert Kocharian has adopted a new “defense tactic” in his efforts to disprove coup allegations brought against him. The paper quotes Kocharian’s lawyer Hayk Alumian as saying that the ex-president received information about the 2008 post-election developments in Yerevan from Gorik Hakobian, the then head of the National Security Service. Speaking in Armenia’s Court of Appeals last week, Kocharian also seemingly distanced himself from a secret order that was issued to Armenian army units in February 2008. This is construed by the paper as a sign that Kocharian now wants to blame other officials for the March 2008 violence.
“One must not say things that will not become a reality in the foreseeable future,” writes “Aravot.” The paper points to Mayor Hayk Marutian’s promises to build new metro stations in Yerevan. It also scoffs at parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan’s explanation for his decision to relocate with his family to a government compound in Yerevan. It argues that Mirzoyan’s two predecessors did not reside there while in office. “In Armenia, the National Assembly speaker is not the kind of a position that requires extraordinary security measures,” it says. “He or she is not someone who makes fateful decisions.” The paper says that the controversial payment of lavish bonuses to senior government officials was another mistake made by the new authorities and they should acknowledge it.
“Zhamanak” reports that former President Levon Ter-Petrosian has dismissed as untimely and meaningless a heated public debate on the possible change of Armenia’s national anthem. In written comments publicized on Monday, Ter-Petrosian said that there are far more pressing issues facing the country. The paper suggests that he used the topic to “remind” the public of his existence amid the continuing high-profile inquiry into the 2008 unrest in Yerevan.
(Lilit Harutiunian)
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