Lragir.am says that corruption charges brought against Davit Sanasarian, the head of the State Oversight Service (SOS), mark the most serious scandal that has erupted in Armenia since last year’s regime change. The publication suggests that the National Security Service (NSS) probably had “quite weighty grounds” to indict Sanasarian. It wonders whether NSS Director Artur Vanetsian discussed the high-profile case with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian before the indictment.In any case, it says, it is quite unusual for a serving high-ranking Armenian official to be prosecuted on corruption. It also says Pashinian can seize upon this case to show that he is really serious about combatting corruption in Armenia.
“Hraparak” wonders whether the new authorities are getting “carried away” in their fight against corruption and “sacrificing sons of the revolution” “History is full of many such examples,” the paper says. “But there is also another truth,” it adds. “Human beings are greedy. As a rule, even the most ideological individuals succumb to temptations when dealing with lots of money. No one is born corrupt. One becomes corrupt over time. At first, they accept small gifts and take bribes in kind. Then come diners, trips, free services, jobs for friends and relatives. And in the end the time comes for big corrupt deals, multimillion-dollar kickbacks.”
“Aravot” says that for Gagik Tsarukian and members of his Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) the previous Armenian parliaments were a much more comfortable place than the current one is. “The thing is that since 1995 the [former] parliaments attracted, apart from politicians, people whose only goal was to protect their business interests,” explains the paper. “For example … many members of the former parliament majority were also businesspeople. Whatever one thinks of it, the 88-strong majority in the current National Assembly came to the parliament to implement some ideas. Their and the Bright Armenia party’s function is political.” By contrast, it says, the main mission of BHK deputies is to further their leader’s business interests.
(Lilit Harutiunian)
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