(Saturday, April 23)
“Zhamanak” finds noteworthy the fact that Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian was appointed as a member of Armenia’s National Security Council two days after President Serzh Sarkisian ordered a renewed investigation of the March 2008 events in Yerevan. “In all likelihood, that step by Serzh Sarkisian is a gesture directed at Robert Kocharian,” comments the paper. It speculates that Sarkisian is trying to ease Kocharian’s possible concerns about the probe.
Aram Sarkisian, a senior member of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), tells “168 Zham” that pro-government and rival opposition forces are prodding the opposition alliance to opt for a “confrontation” with the Armenian government. He also reaffirms the HAK view that by ordering law-enforcement bodies to again investigate the 2008 unrest the Armenian president met one of the HAK’s three main demands.
“As for the fulfillment of the other demands, I sincerely want the authorities to meet them and sincerely want Levon Ter-Petrosian and Serzh Sarkisian to start a dialogue,” the oppositionist says, adding that “that is the most acceptable, the smoothest and the most favorable way of out of this situation.”
“Aravot” reports that a large group of senior police officers gathered outside Armenia’s Court of Appeals on Friday to state their belief that Major Vahan Khanzadian, their arrested colleague charged with murder cover-up, is innocent and to blame Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian for his prosecution. “They were hinting that if the court continues to dance to the prosecutors’ tune, they will hand back their police badges and quit the [police] service,” says the paper. It say they were also angry about police chief Alik Sargsian’s claims that there is no discontent with Khanzadian’s arrest among his colleagues.
(Ruben Meloyan)
“Zhamanak” finds noteworthy the fact that Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian was appointed as a member of Armenia’s National Security Council two days after President Serzh Sarkisian ordered a renewed investigation of the March 2008 events in Yerevan. “In all likelihood, that step by Serzh Sarkisian is a gesture directed at Robert Kocharian,” comments the paper. It speculates that Sarkisian is trying to ease Kocharian’s possible concerns about the probe.
Aram Sarkisian, a senior member of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), tells “168 Zham” that pro-government and rival opposition forces are prodding the opposition alliance to opt for a “confrontation” with the Armenian government. He also reaffirms the HAK view that by ordering law-enforcement bodies to again investigate the 2008 unrest the Armenian president met one of the HAK’s three main demands.
“As for the fulfillment of the other demands, I sincerely want the authorities to meet them and sincerely want Levon Ter-Petrosian and Serzh Sarkisian to start a dialogue,” the oppositionist says, adding that “that is the most acceptable, the smoothest and the most favorable way of out of this situation.”
“Aravot” reports that a large group of senior police officers gathered outside Armenia’s Court of Appeals on Friday to state their belief that Major Vahan Khanzadian, their arrested colleague charged with murder cover-up, is innocent and to blame Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian for his prosecution. “They were hinting that if the court continues to dance to the prosecutors’ tune, they will hand back their police badges and quit the [police] service,” says the paper. It say they were also angry about police chief Alik Sargsian’s claims that there is no discontent with Khanzadian’s arrest among his colleagues.
(Ruben Meloyan)