Armenian press review (April 1-7)

By Vestnik Kavkaza

In commentary to the statement in Yerevan made by Sergey Naryshkin, speaker of the RF State Duma, the Zhamanak newspaper writes: "Naryshkin said that the decision of joining Eurasian Economic Union was accepted by the Armenian citizens". This announcement was real in spite of the 1st of April. It was made on the 31st of March. It doesn't mean that Naryshkin is not informed that the Armenian citizens have nothing to do with the decision of joining the Eurasian Economic Union. Naryshkin knew this fact but anyway decided to make the statement. These statements gave Russia opportunities to subordinate not only authorities in Armenia but also so-called main or leading political parties. It was done in order to accept all actions in regard to Armenia saying that it was the citizens' display of will.

After joining Eurasian Economic Union, Armenian officials convinced society that it's a better way. Few people believed in the statements and not only for this reason. The Armenian officials lost society confidence long ago. According to official information, after two-month-membership in Eurasian Economic Union the situation in Armenia has considerably got worse: significantly reduced export to Eurasian Economic Union member countries primarily to Russia, and also reduced cash transfers from Russia to Armenia and so on, 168 Zham reports.

Some economists are trying to convince that it's too early to make conclusions in regard to Armenian membership in Eurasian Economic Union. According to their opinion, we will be able to see the results after 6 months. It's clear that neither after 6 nor 66 months, Armenian membership in Eurasian Economic Union will not give this country any advantages. Russian politicians understand that they need to deliver optimistic and threatening speeches from time to time in order to Armenian society keep on thinking in habitual manner.

According to the information in political circles, a special commission on preparation of constitutional reforms is intending to file a pre-final version of the project on amending the Constitution, reports Aykakan Zhamanak.

The commission underlines it is much more likely that political authorities receive not all but only one fragment of the Constitution reform project as all the material will not be ready by that time. According to our information, members of the commission are going to hold a press-conference in order to show the results. Now they have no time to answer telephone calls.

The governing in Armenia Republican Party still thinks that the special commission is going to submit for approval two projects of constitutional reforms: half-presidential model of governing and proceeding to parliamentarian reform. Both projects can be put out to a referendum, the newspaper reports.

No wide consolidation of the constitutional reforms promised by Serge Sargsyan. Political forces get something instead. It indirectly proves that Serge Sargsyan wants to amend constitution according his personal interests. Everybody understands this. If this was done in the name of the government's interests so why should we demand something from Serge Sargsyan or why he needed to bribe political forces so that they follow the government's interests, reports Chorrod Ishhayutun.

Cash flows to Armenia keep on reducing. In February of this year net transfers were 27,5 million dollars (i.e. trade surplus between received funds and taken out of Armenia). But the most remarkable thing is that in conditions of total volume transfers reducing, non-commercial outflow indices from Armenia stay the same, reports Zhokhovurd.

Moreover, specifically with Russia, non-commercial cash transfers in this country are going on increasing. It means that more our compatriots who live in Russia have the same problems and their relatives from Armenia help them. We do not deny the fact that the Armenian economy is under severe crisis. The absence of ways to change the situation as the officials are occupied with sharing state money among them, the newspaper reports.

The fact of getting customs clearance in other countries, Belorussia and Kazakhstan – members of Eurasian Economic Union, influenced the revenue shortfall in the first two months of the current year, reports Aykakan zhamanak.

“Commodities from third countries used to be delivered to Georgia by sea, then they underwent customs procedures on the Georgian-Armenian border, most of the goods from Europe are now released from bonds right in Belarus and Kazakhstan. Importers avoid this procedure at Armenian customs offices, because goods heading to Armenia that undergo customs clearance fall into the so-called ‘control prices’, making the process cheaper. The problem is that the customs offices of Armenia, releasing from bond, use ‘control prices’ set by themselves, not the official tariffs. By the way, if you bought a car in Europe for $3,000, the Customs Service of Armenia believes that it cost $5,000, and that is the figure from which the customs fee is deducted. Belarus and Kazakhstan lack this tradition, and the goods undergo customs clearance according to factory invoices presented by importers,” the source notes.Russia wants to raise the gas price for Armenia, the newspaper Zhokhovurg reports. The newspaper says that the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Russia, Ovik Abramyan and Dmitry Medvedev, had a telephone conversation on March 30. “According to rumours, the main topic of the conversation was the possible raising of gas prices. We have not been able to learn the sum the Russian side wanted to raise the price for gas supplied to Armenia by,” the newspaper says.Russia sells gas to Armenia for $200 per 1,000 cubic meters. According to Zhokhovurd, an attempt is being made to create an expert group to study the issue and learn how rational and inevitable the rise of gas prices is.Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is making a two-day visit to Moscow. Official Russian media have been reporting about the visit for days, highlighting its importance. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s press release has quite interesting overtones about Russia’s evaluations of bilateral relations,” 168 Zham reports.In particular, the message notes that Armenia and Russia are successfully cooperating in global and regional affairs, their positions in most cases are close or identical. In other words, Russia is diplomatically stating that there are issues where the two countries are not in full concordance. The Armenian foreign minister’s visit to Russia will become an important event in the context of further development of the bilateral foreign political dialogue, serving to strengthen the Russian-Armenian alliance.In reality, Russian-Armenian relations are not as perfect as they may first appear, and this is a result of the consistent and unilateral pressure of Russia’s overriding interests over Armenia and indifference to the events in Yerevan. Now, when the Armenian authorities are modestly starting to say that Russia has begun to show a preoccupation and the stream of propaganda creates an impression as though Nalbandian was summoned to Moscow for clarifications, 168 Zham notes.The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has rendered another verdict on cases of Armenian citizens and ruled that Armenia should pay compensation for their unjust treatment, the Zhamanak paper reports. The cases, in substance, are no different from dozens of other verdicts rendered by the ECHR on the complaints of Armenian citizens. They are all related to iniquities in court institutions. The already meager budget of Armenia will have to part with 500,000 euros to cover the damage caused by the court system instead of solving social problems. In essence, it is a price for financing the dependence of the judicial system on the government, the newspaper concludes.The Zhamanak newspaper, concerning the agreements on the Iranian nuclear program reached in Lausanne, writes that a historic consensus was reached. Of course, it is far too early to talk about a logical conclusion of the process, but the event proves there are radical changes in international policy.Settlement of the Iranian nuclear program is a chance for Armenia to benefit in all aspects. Iran is a friend of Armenia, the long-term interests of Iran and Armenia coincide in the economic, political and security sectors. This, in turn, means that settlement of relations between Iran and the West would allow Armenia to form more free and full-fledged relations and use them as a link between the West and Iran. At the same time, Armenia would gain an opportunity to overcome its dependence on Russia in the economic, energy and security sectors. Settlement of relations between Iran and the West will raise Tehran’s influence in the region, counterbalancing the dominating Russian-Turkish role for Armenia – currently a serious threat to the country’s security.According to the Irates de facto newspaper, the Armenian ex-President Robert Kocharyan and ex-Vice Prime Minister Armen Gevorkyan are not the only ones behind ex-spokesman of the Prosperous Armenia Party Tigran Urikhanyan’s idea to found the Civil Headquarters. The primary concerned parties are medium-level law enforcers of Russia.The latter, unlike the aforementioned Armenian politicians, are set to form a political bloc against the pro-Western civil movement of Nikol Pashinyan, so that part of the protesting voters disappointed with the Prosperous Armenia Party would not fall under the influence of Pashinyan’s organization, which may pull out of all the Western vector and cover the opposition field. Urikhanyan’s goal is to break the movement of Pashinyan. Since all such Russian projects have never succeeded – because Russia has never spent enough money – the project of Urikhanyan is destined to fail, says Irates de facto.The unprecedented reprisal against the ex-leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Gagik Tsarukyan, the appointment of his good-brother Karapet Guloyan as the Kotayk governor, was a surprise for many. In his speech on February 12, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan left many accusations against Tsarukyan idle and curried favour with Tsarukyan by promoting his good-brother. On the one hand, Serzh Sargsyan made a peace gesture to Gagik Tsarukyan. But on the other, he weakens Tsarukyan’s influence in Abovyan.The Zhamanak newspaper says that Abovyan has been a territory uncontrolled by the Republican Party of Armenia for years. It was envisioned as the capital of Tsarukyan’s “reign”, where the politician’s will was superior to that of the Armenian authorities, not to mention the law, which is ineffective all over Armenia. In terms of the realities, the election of Abovyan as mayor have key significance.Former Prosperous Armenia members are now regaining their membership, the Zhamanak newspaper reports. It is rumoured that Rustam Gasparyan’s brother has returned to the party. Vaan Babayan, spokesman of Prosperous Armenia, confirmed the return. Naira Zograbyan, the new leader of the party, signed their admissions.“Commodities from third countries used to be delivered to Georgia by sea, then they underwent customs procedures on the Georgian-Armenian border, most of the goods from Europe are now released from bonds right in Belarus and Kazakhstan. Importers avoid this procedure at Armenian customs offices, because goods heading to Armenia that undergo customs clearance fall into the so-called ‘control prices’, making the process cheaper. The problem is that the customs offices of Armenia, releasing from bond, use ‘control prices’ set by themselves, not the official tariffs. By the way, if you bought a car in Europe for $3,000, the Customs Service of Armenia believes that it cost $5,000, and that is the figure from which the customs fee is deducted. Belarus and Kazakhstan lack this tradition, and the goods undergo customs clearance according to factory invoices presented by importers,” the source notes.

Russia wants to raise the gas price for Armenia, the newspaper Zhokhovurg reports. The newspaper says that the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Russia, Ovik Abramyan and Dmitry Medvedev, had a telephone conversation on March 30. “According to rumours, the main topic of the conversation was the possible raising of gas prices. We have not been able to learn the sum the Russian side wanted to raise the price for gas supplied to Armenia by,” the newspaper says.

Russia sells gas to Armenia for $200 per 1,000 cubic meters. According to Zhokhovurd, an attempt is being made to create an expert group to study the issue and learn how rational and inevitable the rise of gas prices is.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is making a two-day visit to Moscow. Official Russian media have been reporting about the visit for days, highlighting its importance. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s press release has quite interesting overtones about Russia’s evaluations of bilateral relations,” 168 Zham reports.

In particular, the message notes that Armenia and Russia are successfully cooperating in global and regional affairs, their positions in most cases are close or identical. In other words, Russia is diplomatically stating that there are issues where the two countries are not in full concordance. The Armenian foreign minister’s visit to Russia will become an important event in the context of further development of the bilateral foreign political dialogue, serving to strengthen the Russian-Armenian alliance.

In reality, Russian-Armenian relations are not as perfect as they may first appear, and this is a result of the consistent and unilateral pressure of Russia’s overriding interests over Armenia and indifference to the events in Yerevan. Now, when the Armenian authorities are modestly starting to say that Russia has begun to show a preoccupation and the stream of propaganda creates an impression as though Nalbandian was summoned to Moscow for clarifications, 168 Zham notes.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has rendered another verdict on cases of Armenian citizens and ruled that Armenia should pay compensation for their unjust treatment, the Zhamanak paper reports. The cases, in substance, are no different from dozens of other verdicts rendered by the ECHR on the complaints of Armenian citizens. They are all related to iniquities in court institutions. The already meager budget of Armenia will have to part with 500,000 euros to cover the damage caused by the court system instead of solving social problems. In essence, it is a price for financing the dependence of the judicial system on the government, the newspaper concludes.

The Zhamanak newspaper, concerning the agreements on the Iranian nuclear program reached in Lausanne, writes that a historic consensus was reached. Of course, it is far too early to talk about a logical conclusion of the process, but the event proves there are radical changes in international policy.

Settlement of the Iranian nuclear program is a chance for Armenia to benefit in all aspects. Iran is a friend of Armenia, the long-term interests of Iran and Armenia coincide in the economic, political and security sectors. This, in turn, means that settlement of relations between Iran and the West would allow Armenia to form more free and full-fledged relations and use them as a link between the West and Iran. At the same time, Armenia would gain an opportunity to overcome its dependence on Russia in the economic, energy and security sectors. Settlement of relations between Iran and the West will raise Tehran’s influence in the region, counterbalancing the dominating Russian-Turkish role for Armenia – currently a serious threat to the country’s security.

According to the Irates de facto newspaper, the Armenian ex-President Robert Kocharyan and ex-Vice Prime Minister Armen Gevorkyan are not the only ones behind ex-spokesman of the Prosperous Armenia Party Tigran Urikhanyan’s idea to found the Civil Headquarters. The primary concerned parties are medium-level law enforcers of Russia.

The latter, unlike the aforementioned Armenian politicians, are set to form a political bloc against the pro-Western civil movement of Nikol Pashinyan, so that part of the protesting voters disappointed with the Prosperous Armenia Party would not fall under the influence of Pashinyan’s organization, which may pull out of all the Western vector and cover the opposition field. Urikhanyan’s goal is to break the movement of Pashinyan. Since all such Russian projects have never succeeded – because Russia has never spent enough money – the project of Urikhanyan is destined to fail, says Irates de facto.

The unprecedented reprisal against the ex-leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Gagik Tsarukyan, the appointment of his good-brother Karapet Guloyan as the Kotayk governor, was a surprise for many. In his speech on February 12, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan left many accusations against Tsarukyan idle and curried favour with Tsarukyan by promoting his good-brother. On the one hand, Serzh Sargsyan made a peace gesture to Gagik Tsarukyan. But on the other, he weakens Tsarukyan’s influence in Abovyan.

The Zhamanak newspaper says that Abovyan has been a territory uncontrolled by the Republican Party of Armenia for years. It was envisioned as the capital of Tsarukyan’s “reign”, where the politician’s will was superior to that of the Armenian authorities, not to mention the law, which is ineffective all over Armenia. In terms of the realities, the election of Abovyan as mayor have key significance.

Former Prosperous Armenia members are now regaining their membership, the Zhamanak newspaper reports. It is rumoured that Rustam Gasparyan’s brother has returned to the party. Vaan Babayan, spokesman of Prosperous Armenia, confirmed the return. Naira Zograbyan, the new leader of the party, signed their admissions.