“Haykakan Zhamanak” sees a “very serious legal problem” with Armen Sarkissian’s eligibility to serve as Armenia’s president. The paper says he has failed to prove that he has not been a citizen of Britain or any other foreign state for the past six years. It says he could have easily dispelled all doubts by producing an official British document confirming his claims that he gave up British citizenship in 2011.
“Ever since the coup d’état of 1998 Armenia’s presidents have been elected with blatant violations of the constitution,” writes “Zhoghovurd.” “Robert Kocharian lacked 10-year citizenship required by the constitution as he had not permanently lived in Armenia [that long.] The same happened in the case of Serzh Sarkisian. Under Article 78 of the constitution state all officials except the president of the republic must be relieved of their duties when they are registered as presidential election candidates. But contrary to this requirement, then Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian continued his tenure at that time [in 2007-2008.] And now there is a problem with Armen Sarkissian.”
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” mocks statements by senior members of the ruling Republican Party (HHK) that Serzh Sarkisian will have to become prime minister even against his will if the HHK leadership wants him to. “It looks like a national front will be formed to liberate Serzh Sarkisian from his own party’s tight grp,” the paper says with sarcasm. “The party elite is forcing the poor guy to do various bad things against his will. If we regard the party as something like a family, we must conclude that Serzh Sarkisian is subjected to domestic violence.”
“Hraparak” says that nothing will change in Armenian politics in the near future. “In the coming years we will be seeing the same figures whose positions will have slightly different names but will retain the same functions,” the paper predicts grimly. “Our influence on the formation of the country’s governments has been reduced to a minimum,” it claims.
(Hovannes Movsisian)