In an interview with “Aravot,” Armen Ashotian, a parliament deputy from Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), criticizes Artsvik Minasian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s candidate for the post of Yerevan mayor.
“The contemporary ruling elite has succeeded in one area within the framework of the coalition: the use of state resources for personal and partisan purposes,” writes “Golos Armenii.” Turning to Armenia’s business elite, the paper accuses it of pursuing “cynical enrichment” and “aggressive expansion.” “One must bear in mind that it is wrong to accuse the entire elite of being selfish and immoral,” it says. “We, for example, see how hard the president and the prime minister are working to implement anti-crisis measures.”
“Taregir” says that by ordering the police to clear Yerevan’s Northern Avenue of all opposition protesters Serzh Sarkisian “humiliated and insulted” law-enforcement officers. The opposition paper views their refusal to let opposition supporters enter the avenue as a form of political “apartheid.”
In an interview with “Aravot,” Armen Ashotian, a parliament deputy from Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), criticizes Artsvik Minasian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s candidate for the post of Yerevan mayor. He complains that like other Dashnaktsutyun leaders, Minasian is making statements casting his party as an “opposition within government.” Dashnaktsutyun has used this “propaganda ploy” for many years, Ashotian says, adding that the nationalist party should join the opposition if it is unhappy with the government.
Political expert Hmayak Hovannisian tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that Azerbaijan and Turkey have agreed to delay the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border until after the construction of the Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway bypassing Armenia. He believes that that railway would nullify any major economic benefit that Armenia might draw from having an open border with Turkey.
Vahan Papazian, a former foreign minister affiliated with the Armenian opposition, tells “168 Zham” that Armenia has “nothing to gain” from its ongoing dialogue with Turkey. “Of course, the opening of the [Turkish-Armenian] border can be regarded as a positive step,” says Papazian. “But it all depends on what price we would have to pay. The authorities are in a situation where they are looking for legitimacy outside, rather than inside, the country. It used to be Moscow, then Brussels, Washington, and now Ankara. If Armenia had a strong and legitimate government elected and trusted by the people, that government would be much more self-confident and would not make such, to put it mildly, concessions.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)
“Taregir” says that by ordering the police to clear Yerevan’s Northern Avenue of all opposition protesters Serzh Sarkisian “humiliated and insulted” law-enforcement officers. The opposition paper views their refusal to let opposition supporters enter the avenue as a form of political “apartheid.”
In an interview with “Aravot,” Armen Ashotian, a parliament deputy from Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), criticizes Artsvik Minasian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s candidate for the post of Yerevan mayor. He complains that like other Dashnaktsutyun leaders, Minasian is making statements casting his party as an “opposition within government.” Dashnaktsutyun has used this “propaganda ploy” for many years, Ashotian says, adding that the nationalist party should join the opposition if it is unhappy with the government.
Political expert Hmayak Hovannisian tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that Azerbaijan and Turkey have agreed to delay the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border until after the construction of the Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway bypassing Armenia. He believes that that railway would nullify any major economic benefit that Armenia might draw from having an open border with Turkey.
Vahan Papazian, a former foreign minister affiliated with the Armenian opposition, tells “168 Zham” that Armenia has “nothing to gain” from its ongoing dialogue with Turkey. “Of course, the opening of the [Turkish-Armenian] border can be regarded as a positive step,” says Papazian. “But it all depends on what price we would have to pay. The authorities are in a situation where they are looking for legitimacy outside, rather than inside, the country. It used to be Moscow, then Brussels, Washington, and now Ankara. If Armenia had a strong and legitimate government elected and trusted by the people, that government would be much more self-confident and would not make such, to put it mildly, concessions.”
(Aghasi Yenokian)