Lragir.am says Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) seems to be the only major election contender actively commenting on Armenia’s problems with the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). “Other forces are not active in terms of discussing the situation,” complains the online publication. “Yet we are talking about one of the key issues in Armenia’s foreign policy and security.” It is particularly critical of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) whose leader Gagik Tsarukian has long bragged about his friendship with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“Zhoghovurd” ridicules pre-election statements made by senior HHK members, suggesting with sarcasm that the former ruling party wants to “amuse the public” in the run-up to the December 9 polls. In particular, it points to Tuesday’s statement by Gagik Minasian, the chairman of the outgoing parliament’s committee on economic issues, on government corruption in Armenia. “Having been mired in corruption for 20 years, the former authorities can say what, where and how they did better than anyone else,” it says.
“Zhamanak” reports on vehement reactions from social media users to reports that the Armenian government is planning to introduce mandatory income declarations for all citizens of the country. The paper says they showed just how difficult it will be for the government to implement “systemic economic reforms” and sell them to the public. It says that that will be essential for the success of “the second phase” of the “velvet revolution” that brought Nikol Pashinian to power. “In his most recent speeches Nikol Pashinian has essentially tried to touch upon this issue, including by triggering heated debates,” it says.
(Lilit Harutiunian)