Domestic policy

The news about restrictions on the accreditation of journalists at the RA National Assembly has proved to be one of the major domestic political events this week. The reason for a broad response is that the restrictions imposed on journalists will immediately affect the “addressees” of their products, the general public. The new accreditation procedure was approved by Parliament Speaker Hovik Abramyan. After a clamour was set up, Nairi Petrosyan, Press Secretary of the Parliament Speaker, and Arpine Hovhannisyan, Legal Advisor to the Speaker, provided explanations toward the end of the working day this Monday. They made it clear that no relaxation of restrictions should be expected. According to the new procedure, only dailies with a circulation of at least 1,500 copies, and e-zines registering at least 800 visits daily, can journalists accredited to the RA Parliament. Regional media outlets having no office in Yerevan cannot have their reporters at the RA Parliament either. However, the most serious restriction is that journalists have no right to enter the Parliament at any time. Mr. Petrosyan decided that reporters, with most of them having a wide experience in covering the Parliament’s activities, must not stay in Parliament all day long. Moreover, only after getting parliamentarians’ prior consent can journalists meet with parliamentarians. All the assurances that the new accreditation order will not put any obstacles to mass media’s activities seen, to put it mildly, unconvincing, as mass media are from now on unable to “get in touch” with some “uncommunicative” parliamentarians and cover developments without delay.

By the end of the week, four policemen had been charged with using violence against demonstrators on March 1, 2008. Two of them used violence against demonstrator early that morning at Republic Square, the other two in Mashtots Avenue at night. The RA Prosecutor General’s Office reported measures to identify the victims. The Opposition, however, has repeatedly stated that the investigatory body’s actions are mete imitation, and, although charges have been brought against the policemen, the recently declared amnesty is applied to them. As the law-enforcement agencies are trying to identify their own officers that grossly violated citizens’ rights a year and a half ago, two members of the dissolved fact-finding expert group, Andranik Kocharyan (Armenian National Congress, ANC) and Seda Safaryan (Heritage Party), have published their fourth report. They reported that the ANC has provided them with a document listing o\the names of four oligarchs and a number of officials, who received 950 uniforms and 140 caps from the storehouses of the RA Ministry of Defense and provided them to the participants in the riots.

After receiving the document, the fact-finding group members decided to conduct an investigation. However, the storehouse personnel did not allow them to take any actions. According to the report, an investigation would have confirmed the fact that the authorities had formed illegal armed groups to carry out provocations. This Friday the ad hoc parliamentary commission for the March 1 events held a sitting. The Commission is formed of only the representatives of the ruling coalition and of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), which recently joined the opposition. The Commission members were shocked by the facts and proposed that the ANC led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan specify them.

Nikol Pashinyan’s lawyers asked for another ten days to examine a 15-volume criminal case. The first 15-day period fixed for that expired on August 26. Taking advantage of the fact, the minor court of the Center and Nork-Marash communities extended the term of provisional arrest for Nikol Pashinyan, Editor-in-Chief of the opposition newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak, until November 1. At the August 27 court sitting the lawyers proposed that Pashinyan be released on bail, but the judge rejected the petition. Pashinyan, who had been on the list of wanteds for a year, gave himself up on July 1. He is charged with organizing riots and resisting public agents. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) urged the Armenian authorities to release the “fugitives” until July 31, which was not done.

The ANC has opened a new office in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city. Ashot Zakaryan, who was recently amnestied, has been appointed head of the office. The opposition has stated its intention to improve the coordination of the efforts of the ANC member-parties in the Shirak region. The ANC has much work to do in the region, as the Opposition has not very good election results in the region over many years.

Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and region

On August 27, at a working meeting with the top officers of the RA Ministry of Defense, RA President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the RA Armed Forces Serzh Sargsyan stated that the country’s political leadership has strong positions in the negotiations for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict due to the national army, the most fully-fledged structure in the country. The President listed to the officers and pointed out the importance of enhancing the Armenian army’s efficiency. President Sargsyan also stressed that the Armenian defense system “must meet present-day requirements and permanently improved.”

This Tuesday, the ARF announced its intention to hold a rally on September 2 on the occasion of Independence Day in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). In its statement, the ARF Executive Council pointed out that, amid the intensified Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, “we must defend our victory, make others respect Artsakh’s self-determination and reject any concessions that may be imposed on us.” The ARF also pointed out the threats posed by the present stage of the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. In this context the party once more demanded that Armenia break off the negotiations, as they serve Turkey’s interests, and prevent Turkey from fulfilling its international commitment by forcing Armenia into making concessions. The ARF also demanded the resignation of RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, who is “immediately responsible for diplomatic failures.” It is not for the first time that ARF has planned an action on the occasion of the NKR’s independence. However, the actions were formerly held in a spacious square in front of Matenadaran (Institute of Ancient Manuscripts). This year’s rally will be held at Azvavour Square, in front of the Moscow cinema.

The Social-Democratic Party (SDP) Hnchakyan, a member of the opposition Armenian National Congress, expressed its concern over the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. The SDP, with not so many members in Armenia, but with an extensive network throughout the Armenian Diaspora, pointed out that “pressured by the international community, Armenia’s illegitimate authorities have to make unjustifiable concessions in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.” The party is sure that the country can be led out of the deadlock only through democratization, which is only possible through a change of power.

Aram Sargyan, the leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA), which, although not represented in Parliament, is quite loyal to the incumbent Armenian authorities, proposed new Yerevan Principles as an alternative to the Madrid Principles of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The so-called Yerevan Principles read out at Sargsyan’s meeting with reporters are actually three points providing for a peace treaty between the sides at the initial stage. The treaty is to be followed by practical steps to establish contacts between societies and peoples and, later, by joint economic projects… The DPA is against any territorial concessions to Azerbaijan, as they will destroy Nagorno-Karabakh’s security system.

The statements made by Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic made Armenian politicians to more actively speak of the advisability of President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Turkey. Ambassador Kilic advised the Armenian leader to arrive to Turkey “by air”, as the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border is linked with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A day after Kilic made his scandalous statement, Secretary of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) urged the Turkish diplomat to give advice to the leaders of his own state, particularly remind them of the necessity for honoring “the agreements.” However, what agreements are in question remains unclear. In his interview with NWS.am, the ANC representative Vladimir Karapetyan said: “The authorities have repeatedly stated that Turkey has turned aside from the agreements and, therefore, Serzh Sargsyan will not go to Turkey. If this is so, the Armenian side can and must make the agreements public – the roadmap — to show that there is nothing dangerous for us there, and Turkey is violating them.” In any case, while everyone is guessing about agreements reached by the Armenian and Turkish leaders, most of the political forces are inclined to think President Sargsyan’s visit to Turkey is inadvisable unless the Armenian-Turkish border is reopened by the time a football match between the Armenian and Turkish national teams begins. Specifically, Armenian politicians urge the President to keep his own promise, namely, visiting Turkey provided the border is reopened or relevant measures are in progress.

Economy and social life

The press service of the RA Ministry of Finance published rather deplorable results of state budget execution for the first seven months of 2009. Specifically, the state budge revenues registered a decrease of 55bln AMD (13.3%) as compared with the corresponding period last year. Tax revenues registered an 18.1% decrease. Foreign donors issued loans totaling 242.5bln AMD, with 185.1bln AMD of them issued by the Russian Government, and 57.4bln AMD by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In January-July 2009, Armenia’s budget revenues totaled 359bln AMD, with on-budget revenues totaling 426.5bln AMD. At his press conference this Friday, Minister Tigran Davtyan expressed the confidence that the budget deficit will not exceed 7% of the GDP through it has reached 4.7%. The Minister is optimistic and hopes for favorable economic developments.

The Prometey Khimprom personnel held an action of protest early this week. Early this year the situation at the largest chemicals plant in Vanadzor (Armenia’s third largest city) worsened because of a drop in the world price for carbide. The production was suspended. Many of the employees have not received wages for months. The Armenian Government’s refusal to provide financial aid to the plant from the Russian loan dashed the last hopes. After talking to the managers, the employees agreed to wait for one more week to be paid the arrears of wages.

At its regular sitting, the Armenian Government approved a program of improving the financing of the Armenian health system. RA Minister of Health Harutyun Kushkyan said that the reason for the program is the necessity for resolving the problems with the Government-guaranteed free medical services. He expressed hope that the program will enhance the efficiency of budgetary funds and confidence in the Government-guaranteed free medical services. The Government states the program is supposed to improve the quality of medical services and state control of the sector.