Armenian Opposition in Limbo After Government Crackdown
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21 YEAR The #9 Noah’s Ark (1049) 2 March 2015 Published Since 1993 Weekly Newspaper HIGHLIGHTS ÜáÛÛ³Ý î³å³Ý ß³μ³Ã³Ã»ñà (³Ý·É. / ýñ³Ýë.) Armenian opposition in limbo after government crackdown Armenia's major opposition parties remain vague on their immediate steps after Prosperous Armenia (BHK), admit- tedly the most influential of them, came under huge government pressure earlier this month. The BHK led by tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan dramatically toned down its criticism of President Serzh Sargsyan and his government after suffering the consequences of what appeared to be a crackdown unleashed by the head of state. Serzh Sargsyan and senior members of his ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) lashed out at Tsarukyan on February 12 after the BHK leader effectively presented them with an "ulti- matum" - to give up controversial plans for a constitutional reform or face sus- tained street protests seeking to oust the current administration. remarks, calling for "peaceful ways" of is one of the key demands of the HHK for After a number of BHK members settling disputes. The BHK effectively the pressure to stop. were detained on suspicion of "illegally stopped its criticism of the government Meanwhile, the two opposition par- possessing weapons" and the govern- and scheduled a party convention for ties - the Armenian National Congress ment ordered tax inspections of business- March 5. Many political observers expect (HAK) and Heritage - that formed an es owned by Tsarukyan's extended fami- Tsarukyan to step down as chairman of informal coalition with the BHK last year ly, the BHK leader made conciliatory the BHK and retire from politics, which continued on page 10 In This Issue Armenian Parliament rejects opposition Noyan Tapan Printing House bill on 'Government Crisis' p.3 is offering coloured and black and white offset and digital ANC leader announces two month printing of books, brochures, booklets, journals, etc with break in street protests p.4 high quality and low prices Tel: 060 27 64 62 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 Electricity tariff hike not excluded p.6 South Dakota House recognizes Noyan Tapan Video Studio Armenian Genocide p.14 is offering professional video and photography for indoor and outdoor events such as weddings, birthday parties, Pope Francis declares Armenian official events, seminars and conferences. Tel: 060 27 64 62 Saint Gregory of Narek Doctor Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 of the Church p.16 2 March #9 (1049) 2015 2 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights POLITICS Armenia, Qatar keen to develop mutually beneficial relations Ali Bin Hamad Al Sulaiti, the newly- Armenia and a series of Arab countries has appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and been rooted in an age-old and honest Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar to the friendship between the Armenian and Arab Republic of Armenia,on February 24 hand- peoples, the Armenian President expressed ed over his credentials to President Serzh confidence that it could provide a firm Sargsyan. foundation for Armenian-Qatari relations The President congratulated the newly- to successfully develop in all mutually ben- appointed ambassador and wished him eficial sectors. success, expressing the hope that during Ambassador Ali Bin Hamad Al Sulaiti his tenure he would spare no effort to assured that he would put every effort into strengthen and enhance cooperation developing bilateral relations and realizing, between Armenia and Qatar. as he characterized, the full cooperation Serzh Sargsyan noted that Armenia potential. attached great importance to deepening of The interlocutors placed great value on laboration between Armenia and Qatar. relations with Gulf states, including Qatar. the activities of the inter-governmental At the meeting, the sides also touched Stressing that the current effective and commission and the expansion of legal upon current regional and international multifaceted collaboration between framework to stimulate multi-sectoral col- issues. Minsk Group Co-Chairs have not called for return of Azeri saboteurs: Armenian FM Armenian Foreign Minister Edward humanism. But what humanism can one Nalbandian has dismissed reports that the speak about in case of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs raised the Azerbaijan?"Minister Nalbanian said. issue of return of the two Azeri saboteurs He reminded that a number of during the recent visit to Yerevan. Armenian nationals were humiliated and "The crimes committed by the two killed in Azerbaijan. He further recalled Azeri saboteurs, including the kidnapping Baku's refusal to accept the calls of the and brutal killing of a teenager, have been international organization, including the revealed, documented and proved," International Committee of the Red Cross, Minister Nalbandian said at the National the OSCE and the Minsk Group Co-Chairs Assembly. to create conditions for retrieving the bod- tion and humanism," Edward Nalbandian "The international community is well ies of the pilots of the downed helicopter. added. aware of how Azerbaijan welcomes and "I do not even speak about how "the "All this comes to prove that glorifies the murderers, as it happened in great humanists" in Baku are persecuting Azerbaijan has its unique perception of the case of Safarov and not only. Naturally, their own citizens every day, especially the humanism, and uses it to deepen hatred and the international community speaks about proponents of peace, tolerance, reconcilia- xenophobia," the Foreign Minister stated. Iraq's Transport Minister visits Armenian Genocide Memorial The guests laid wreaths at the temporary exhibition hall of AGMI and Armenian Genocide Memorial and paid watched the expo on the Armenian tribute to their memory with a minute of Genocide. silence. Deputy Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute Suren Manukyan presented the history of construction of the Tsitsernakaberd The delegation headed by Iraq's memorial. Transport Minister Jabr Al-Zubeidi visited Members of the Iraqi the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan. delegation visited the 2 March #9 (1049) 2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 3 Armenian Parliament rejects opposition bill on 'Government Crisis' Heritage and the Prosperous Armenia Party The BHK's absence in the parliament (BHK), still last fall took place in the was construed differently by the govern- absence of the latter. The BHK faction that ment and opposition parties. During the has more than three dozen members said debate on the opposition bill Deputy on Monday it would boycott the four-day Parliament Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, session to protest the government crack- a senior member of the HHK, implied that down on their leader, embattled tycoon among other things the BHK walkout Gagik Tsarukyan. meant that the Tsarukian party did not want On February 12, President Serzh to take part in the debate and the vote on Sargsyan, who also heads the HHK, lashed the resolution. out at Tsarukyan, describing him as "evil" Hermine Naghdalyan, the other deputy The Armenian National Assembly on and saying that he should not be allowed in speaker of parliament representing the February 25 turned down an opposition- politics. In the following days a number of HHK, also attacked the opposition, saying drafted resolution describing the current Tsarukyan loyalists were detained on sus- that if there was any crisis in Armenia it situation in the country as a "government picion of illegally possessing weapons in was within the opposition itself. crisis" and calling for measures to deal cases that the police said had nothing to do "The opposition is lame in both feet," with it. with their party affiliation. But the BHK Naghdalian charged. "I don't share the opti- Sixty-seven members of the 131-seat said the detentions were an attempt to mism that the opposition can overcome legislature dominated by representatives of impose political pressure on announced this ailment quickly, because it started to the ruling Republican Party of Armenia plans for a joint opposition protest on limp not recently, but a long time ago." (HHK) voted against the bill, with only 16 February 20 to demand Sargsyan's resigna- Earlier, HAK parliamentary leader deputies supporting it. Six lawmakers tion. The party called off the rally after Levon Zurabyan warned the government abstained from voting. Tsarukyan issued a statement two days against further pressure on the BHK, say- The debate and vote on the resolution prior to the gathering, saying that he was ing that "even if the opposition is lame drafted jointly by the opposition Armenian ready to settle all disputes through "peace- today, it will quickly recover from its foot National Congress and its two allies, ful, lawful, and political means". injury." Tsarukyan Party confirms meeting with Prime Minister A group of members of the Prosperous scale tax evasion. assumption, stressing that the reform is Party of Armenia (BHK) led by embattled What many BHK members described needed for the further democratization of tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan recently met with as political reprisals followed an angry Armenia and strengthening of its political the Armenian prime minister to discuss speech by President Serzh Sargsyan at the system. "problems related to small and medium- meeting of senior members of his ruling After several days of a tense standoff, sized enterprises", a senior party member HHK on February 12 when he described Tsarukyan reportedly met with Sargsyan confirmed on February 25. Tsarukyan as a man of low intellectual abil- and shortly after that unconfirmed meeting Talking to RFE/RL's Armenian Service ity who was "evil" for the country and had he came up with a statement advocating a , Naira Zohrabyan, the secretary of the to be excluded from the political process. "peaceful way" of settling disputes. BHK parliamentary faction, declined to Sargsyan was apparently irked by After those conciliatory remarks the elaborate on the agenda of the meeting with Tsarukyan's earlier "ultimatum" to give up a BHK has been vague on its further opposi- Hovik Abrahamyan or name the party planned constitutional reform or face large- tion to the Sargsyan government that members who participated in it.