Author: Markos Nalchajian

VERELQ presents the most notable publications of the Armenian press.

“Publication” the newspaper writes. “The other day it was written in the press that on February 1 Serzh Sargsyanthey invited the SIS for questioning and interrogated them for several hours regarding the March 1 case. But it turns out that this was not the first interrogation of Serzh Sargsyan, before that he was invited to the CSI. Moreover, we learned that yesterday he also visited the CSI and stayed there for a long time. Although the SIS refused to answer our question, they said that they do not answer any questions on this topic. According to our information, a team of professional lawyers has been created for Serzh Sargsyan, who are conducting consultations with him these days on how to behave during the interrogation. The team is headed by two former ministers of justice Davit Harutyunyan and Arpine Hovhannisyan, both of whom engaged in human rights activities after the change of power. Davit Harutyunyan opened a legal consulting company with Arpine Hovhannisyan. We learned that yesterday Serzh Sargsyan’s “defense” team gathered at the RPA office and had a long discussion with Serzh Sargsyan. Other lawyers and advocates were also present. In response to our question yesterday, Davit Harutyunyan categorically denied that they are engaged in the protection of Serzh Sargsyan. “No, I will not answer that question. In general, I have no comment on whether or not to summon Serzh Sargsyan for questioning. Your information is wrong,” said Mr. Harutyunyan. When asked whether there was a discussion with Serzh Sargsyan in the RPA office yesterday, Harutyunyan said: “I had a discussion on other issues.”

“Publication” the newspaper writes. “Prime Minister’s son-in-law, deputy Hrach Hakobyanon the initiative of the National Assembly of the previous convocation, a legislative project was presented, which will ban the advertising of bookmaking companies on television and online, which will be a big financial blow to the media, which are mainly financed by advertising, and in Armenia, since the economy is not developing, therefore, the advertisers are mainly the bookmakers. This initiative can at least be seen as a step against the independence of the mass media, and a protest is brewing in the media world. The project is still in the working discussion phase, but today the author organized a closed discussion in the National Assembly regarding the issue, showing a discriminatory approach and not inviting some media. In any case, “Hraparak” did not receive an invitation. Moreover, even the “My step” faction did not know yesterday that such a discussion had been initiated. Hrach Hakobyan apologized that his assistant invited the mass media, he does not know who.”

“People” the newspaper writes. “The “Prosperous Armenia” faction also suffered because of the “Bright Armenia” faction of the National Assembly. The point is that at the session of the NA Council, when the issue of the proportion of the members of the delegation of the parliamentary assemblies and the composition of the delegations was discussed, the ruling “My Step” faction expressed its willingness to concede one seat to the opposition factions, so that at least one of them would be represented in all the delegations. But there was one condition that they would give in if there was a consensus. According to the sources of “Zhoghovurd” newspaper, among the members of the National Assembly, the representatives of the “Bright Armenia” factionEdmon Marukyan and Mane Tandilyan, demanded to be given more space, threatening to vote against the decisions. After that, NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan said that they will not concede anything.”

“time” the newspaper writes. “Yesterday Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan by his decision dismissed the chairman of the State Water Committee Inessa Gabayan: The reason was not Gabayan’s bad or good work at all, but the internal conflict within the government. Inessa Gabayan had a bad relationship with the water intake director Karen Epremyan, whose immediate superior she was. But Gabayan could not get rid of Epremyan, because he enjoyed being the director of the National Security Service Artur Vanetsyan sponsorship. And Gabayan’s patron is the deputy prime minister Tigran Avinyan was Thus, we can record that Vanetsyan came out victorious in the confrontation between Avinyan and Vanetsyan.

“Fact” the newspaper writes. According to “Past” newspaper, the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the National Assembly on February 4 did not satisfy the representatives of the “Lusavore Armenia” faction. In narrow circles, they complained that the minister did not properly present the details of foreign policy and held a domestic level discussion in an amateurish atmosphere. In other words, it was not a professional, but an amateur meeting.”

“time” the newspaper writes. “Although PAP left the coalition after the events of October 2 of last year, some PAP members continue to hold office very successfully. In particular, the vice president of the PAP Armen Arzumanyan is the Deputy Minister of Communications, Transport and Information Technologies. Other PAP members are deputy governors or hold other positions in the state administration system. And under these conditions, a logical question arises: is the PAP a semi-opposition or a semi-government?”

“Publication” the newspaper writes. “In January, a remarkable appointment took place at the NSS. The head of the service and control department of the law enforcement system of the NSS counterintelligence department was appointed Serob Harutyunyan: He was the former police chief of Kotayk region, the former head of “Nubarashen” prison and was released from that position in June 2018. At one time, there were publications in the press about his connections with the gangster world, in particular with Suro from Lennaka, Zap.”

“People” the newspaper writes. “Prime Minister was announced yesterday Nikol Pashinyan led government project project. At the same time, yesterday the government decided to carry out certain editorial works on the program until February 8 and only then submit it to the parliament for approval. The newspaper, studying this 71-page document, recorded a remarkable fact. it almost completely repeats the previous plan of Nikol Pashinyan’s government, that after the Velvet Revolution in 2018 was presented to the National Assembly in June. It’s just that the new program is written for the next five years, and there are specified specific indicators for the long term, for example, the average rate of economic growth should be at least 5 percent. At the same time, let’s note that there are several remarkable emphasis in the field of foreign policy. “The government will act exclusively in the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh problem in the format of the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group… The status of Artsakh and ensuring security are Armenia’s top priorities in the negotiation process. The existence of an atmosphere conducive to peace is essential for the effectiveness of the negotiations… The government reaffirms that Artsakh, as the main party to the conflict, should have a decisive voice and involvement in the resolution process aimed at establishing real and lasting peace.” Instead, there is no mention in the government’s program of improving relations with neighboring Turkey, although Pashinyan has expressed his support for establishing relations with that country without preconditions. The government’s plan only mentions steps towards international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

“168 hours” the newspaper writes. “Unfortunately, the total government propaganda and the consistent and aggressive practice of creating idols from the April government change is already penetrating the educational system, schools. Thus, during the “Armenian Language” city-wide Olympiad of the 8th grade, the children were assigned an essay on the topic “When they walk, they walk, they walk…”. In particular, “168 hours” received information from the regional stage of the Olympiad held in Yerevan’s primary school No. 56, but the same picture was present during the regional stages of the entire city. This is an unprecedented situation, because, in fact, the compulsion of the party, government propaganda is coming to replace the patriotic themes given during the Olympiads, which were so stoned by the opposition. What should a 13-14-year-old child write on the above-mentioned topic, what image do the authors of this “epoch-making” idea want to see? Is this how the authorities envision the depoliticization of the education system? By the way, this was also done in the Soviet years, when schoolchildren had to learn lessons of “Lenin в шалаше” class. It will be “logical” if the topic of the essay of the republican phase refers to, for example, “squeezing” speedometers or covering them with underwear, or laying siege to the building of the National Assembly on October 2.

“time” according to the newspaper, a new player will soon appear in the oil products market of Armenia. The speech is the former vice-chairman of the Supreme Council and the National Assembly, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Kazakhstan Ara Sahakyan is about Sahakyan intends to organize the import of oil products of Kazakh production into Armenia, which will significantly increase the existing competition in this market, contributing to the reduction of prices.”

“People” the daily writes. “The Kotayk regional administration of the Republic of Armenia conducted inspections in the Yeghvard municipality. The identified shortcomings are quite telling. “Zhoghovurd” daily learned from official documents that it was found out that draft decisions of the Council of Elders were made with gaps. The justifications for the need to adopt decisions were missing, as well as the opinion formed as a result of the discussion in the competent committee of the council of elders. In other words, the issues included in the agenda of the meeting of the council of elders were previously discussed in the competent committees of the council, but the opinions formed as a result of the discussion were not attached to the materials of the agendas of the meetings of the council. In other words, in this case, the requirement of parts 3 and 5 of Article 14 of the RA Law “On Local Self-Government” was incompletely fulfilled. These are the mildest findings, however. A number of other abuses and omissions were also discovered.”