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News, 27 Mar, 2007.
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Virtually all newspapers and television stations focus their attention on the untimely death of Prime Minister Andranik Margarian.
Media outlets report that yesterday, Armenian President Robert Kocharian called an extraordinary government session focused on the work of the government after the Prime Minister's death. According to the Armenian constitution, after the death of the prime minister, the government should resign. However, the current ministers should continue to perform their duties until a new government is formed. The president should appoint a new prime minister within 10 days of the government's resignation, and within 20 days of the appointment of a new prime minister, a new government should be formed.
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK claims that during President Kocharian's meeting yesterday with the ruling coalition, it was decided that Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian would be appointed prime minister.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR reports that the Presidential Press Service has refuted rumors that Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian has been appointed prime minister.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR and IRAVUNK report that Armen Rustamian from the Dashnaktsutiun
Party said that it is logical for a member of the Republican Party to be appointed prime minister. According to the newspapers, he said that Dashnaktsutiun will support any candidate proposed by the Republicans. He noted that there is talk that the new prime minister might be Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian. HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK underlines that Rustamian thinks that Margarian’s death will not have any repercussions on the upcoming parliamentary elections “because all parties contesting the elections have already specified their approaches and expectations.”
168 ZHAM states that Prime Minister Margarian was scheduled to leave for France for a regular medical check-up on March 27. The article says that the Prime Minister's French doctors arrived in Armenia several days ago, and were scheduled to travel to Paris with him today.
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK says that during his time in office, Prime Minister Margarian served as a sort of a "buffer" between the ruling forces and the opposition. “More specifically, the fact the has was prime minister used to diffuse the widely-spread perception that the entire power structure in Armenia belonged to the so-called "Karabakh clan," which, the newspaper says, was beneficial for those in power. The daily pays tribute to the late prime minister as a gentle man who was not cunning, which, it says, made him very different from others in the power elite. The newspaper notes that it conducted a blitz public opinion survey among Yerevan residents on the streets of the city, and they were unanimous that Margarian’s untimely death was a great loss to all.
"It is a great sorrow. He was a good man, not like others, and in all likelihood some people ‘helped’ him pass"--the daily ARAVOT writes that these were the first ideas that struck many Armenians upon learning the news about Margarian’s death. The daily’s chief editor, Aram Abrahamian, praises the late prime minister for his kind treatment of the mass media, saying that Margarian always spoke to journalists after parliament question and answer sessions, taking all their questions and never holding a grudge against a journalist. Abrahamian points out that Margarian would never make a distinction between “pro-government” and “opposition” press representatives, and he would never speak negatively about any opposition politician.
HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN published the condolence messages from Russia, Iran, Great Britain, heads of political parties in Armenia, representatives of the Armenian Diaspora, heads of diplomatic mission in Yerevan, etc.
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK claims that "Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Minister" Seyran Ohanian is viewed as the most plausible candidate to replace Serzh Sargsian as defense minister after Sargsian is appointed prime minister.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR and AZG say that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has re-issued its warning to consumers not to drink Armenian "Jermuk" brand mineral water due to the risk of exposure to arsenic, a toxic substance and a known cause of cancer in humans. The FDA said that, “Although arsenic is a well-known human poison, there is little chance that someone would become seriously ill after consuming the recalled products over a brief period of time (days to weeks). However, it is likely that the person would experience nausea, abdominal pain and possibly vomiting, which are indicators of arsenic toxicity.”
HAYOTS ASHKHAR claims that due to the death of the Armenian Prime Minister, Robert Simmons, Special Representative of the NATO's Secretary General to the Central Asia and South Caucasus, cancelled his visit to Yerevan.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR reports that mayoral elections took place in Armavir on Sunday. Armavir’s incumbent Republican mayor, Ruben Khlghatian, was reelected with almost 53 percent of the vote. His main challenger, Arayik Aghababian from the Prosperous Armenia Party, received 43.3 percent of the vote. ARAVOT states that a number of cases of electoral fraud were registered during the election. AZG says that, according to a source close to Prosperous Armenia, Gagik Tsarukian prohibited protests, taking into account the death of Andranik Margarian.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR, ARAVOT, HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK, HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN and 168 ZHAM stress that during the weekend two parties – the Armenian National Movement and Orinats Yerkir –held their party congresses.
Armenian National Movement (ANM) – During the party congress, Ararat Zurabian was reappointed head of the party. Talking to journalists, Zurabian said that if the upcoming parliamentary elections are free and fair, they will receive 10-20% of votes. He expressed hope that former Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosian would run in the upcoming presidential elections. ARAVOT emphasized that Ter-Petrosian attended the congress, but again refused to make any statements.
Orinats Yerkir – Artur Baghdasarian, was reappointed chairman of the party. He stated that the party would submit its political program on April 9. Baghdasarian harshly criticized all those who claim that the Orinats Yerkir party is the "false opposition." |
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