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Press Review


“Yerkir” says Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian is seeking public support in his “struggle against oligarchs and monopolies,” even though “he received his mandate not from the public but the president of the republic and the ruling political majority.” The paper speculates that this means Sarkisian feels that he has exhausted all of his “political and administrative resources for winning that struggle.” It also says that the business environment and tax collection in Armenia have hardly improved despite Sarkisian’s pledges to crack down on domestic “oligopolies.”

“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” dismisses government promises of greater support for Armenia’s struggling agricultural sector, saying that President Serzh Sarkisian and his predecessor Robert Kocharian have turned Armenian farmers into “serfs.” “And as is known from history textbook, the work of serfs is not efficient,” writes the opposition paper. It says that if Sarkisian wants to develop agriculture he must firstly “give freedom to villagers.” “But judging from everything, Serzh Sarkisian’s doesn’t need that. He is seeking to reinforce that pyramid and is forcing village serfs into financial dependence by means of [fresh agricultural] loans,” it claims.

“Hayots Ashkhar” attacks the International Monetary Fund for opposing President Sarkisian’s plans to give tax breaks to some manufacturers. The pro-government paper says that any policy or action opposed by the IMF is at least not harmful for Armenia. “Who said that they are eager to see us live well?” it says. “Do they really care about us? They don’t. Why should they?”

“Zhamanak” condemns the Yerevan municipality’s decision to order state kindergartens, schools and universities to open their doors at different times in the morning. Officials say the decision is aimed at easing traffic congestion during morning hours. “When will Armenia’s authorities stop solving issues at the expense of citizens’ nerves and stress?” asks the paper. It says that only a democratically elected government would take decisions that “cause citizens calm and comfort.” “[Mayor] Karen Karapetian knows that his tenure depends not on citizens’ will but on the diligence of thugs and policemen rigging elections,” it says.

(Tigran Avetisian)
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