Lragir.am sees deepening divisions within Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK). “The criminal-oligarchic system is on its way out and its political carriers -- the HHK, the BHK and Dashnaktsutyun -- have found themselves in a state of uncertainty,” comments the publication. “The BHK tried to save itself by putting itself at the mercy of the people and the new authorities, the HHK is in the final stage of disintegration, while Dashnaktsutyun in a pathetic position.”
“Aravot” is not surprised by the BHK’s and some HHK lawmakers’ “pledges of allegiance to the new authorities.” The paper believes that individual business interests were behind these political moves. “Entrepreneurs engaged in politics have clear interests,” it says in an editorial. “There is no BHK, there is businessman Gagik Tsarukian who keeps a party based on his calculations. There is no HHK, there are businessmen who kept a party at Serzh Sarkisian’s urging. The current authorities have no ties to those businessmen or a vested interest in seeing them in the parliament. That is a cause for optimism in the sense that businessmen should no longer feel the need to set up or keep parties and enter the parliament. This will finally separate business from politics and the state system.”
“Zhoghovurd” says that the HHK is “conceding its defeat” in the fight against Nikol Pashinian. “This was certainly expected, especially after what happened on October 2 when citizens, responding to an appeal from Pashinian, surrounded the National Assembly to demand pre-term elections,” writes the paper. “In this situation, the HHK had no choice to but acknowledge its defeat in a dignified way and agree to the holding of pre-term parliamentary elections.”
“Zhamanak” comments on the arrest of Samvel Mayrapetian, a wealthy businessman reputedly linked to former Armenian governments. The paper says that although the arrest did not cause uproar it did influence the latest political developments in the country.
(Lilit Harutiunian)