“Hraparak” reports that the Armenian government will likely intensify its latest, supposedly tougher, crackdown on corruption. “A few days ago the Armenian prime minister met with a large group of media representatives to hear their views and observations and to assure them that the authorities have a will and desire to reduce corruption and expect wide-ranging media support on this issue,” writes the paper. “Some participants noted that media outlets have for years provided such support by covering various manifestations [of corruption] in their reports and that the government should simply act on those reports.”
“Zhoghovurd” reports that Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General has drafted amendments to the Criminal Code which would criminalize more types of electoral fraud. “Prosecutor-General Gevorg Kostanian is thus trying to make the public think that election falsifiers have not been punished because of our laws,” comments the paper. It argues that the Criminal Code already has several articles specifying electoral crimes punishable by up to 5 years in prison. “So what has kept them from punishing the falsifiers?” asks the paper.
“Zhamanak” reacts to this week’s joint exercises held in Armenia by special police forces of Russia and other ex-Soviet republics making up the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The paper says that the CSTO did not really react to the April 2-5 hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, let alone show support for Armenia in the conflict with Azerbaijan. The police drills are completely inappropriate in these circumstances, it claims.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” notes that the prime ministers of Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member stayed and held talks at a hotel complex outside Yerevan belonging to businessman Gagik Tsarukian when they held a summit in Yerevan last week. The paper wonders why the Armenian government did not hold the summit at its reception house and thus saved money. Last year, the government allocated more than $3 million for its renovation.
(Tigran Avetisian)