In a radio interview on February 1, Pashinian again took aim at a 1990 declaration of independence cited in a preamble to the Armenian constitution. He claimed that Armenia “will never have peace” with Azerbaijan as long as there is such reference.
Accordingly, Pashinian defended his plans to try to enact a new constitution that would presumably make no mention of the declaration. Baku has since repeatedly made a peace deal with Yerevan conditional on such a constitutional change.
The Public Radio director, Garegin Khumarian, took issue with Pashinian’s comments in an op-ed article published on its website. The premier, he said, told citizens to “stop being Armenians” rather than “get stronger,” in the face of existential threats from Azerbaijan.
Armenia’s Council of Public Broadcaster, which appoints the heads of state television and radio, accused Khumarian of expressing his personal view on the radio website in an “arbitrary” and “unchallenged” way. But an independent media watchdog concluded in March that he did not violate any ethnical rules or abuse his position.
Meanwhile, Khumarian’s five-year contract with the public broadcaster expired in April. Armenian law allows the council to extend the contract by two years. However, it decided to choose a new Public Radio chief on a supposedly competitive basis.
Khumarian was among eight candidates who participated in the resulting job contest. Earlier this month, he claimed that the contest has already been rigged because the Council of Public Broadcaster will execute a government order to appoint Armen Koloyan, another candidate deemed loyal to Pashinian.
Five of the six council members voted for Koloyan on Monday. In a statement, the body formed by Pashinian said he “meets the necessary requirements for appointment to the position of the Company's executive director.” Its chairman, Ara Shirinian, and other members could not be reached for further comment.
“This contest was not so much about electing a director of Public Radio as about preventing my return to my job,” Khumarian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. He said he will challenge its outcome in court.
Koloyan, who has worked for RFE/RL’s Armenian Service for the last three decades, declined to comment on his appointment which was also predicted by some Armenian media outlets.