Only a single positive publication on Armen Sargsyan

From 1 to 10 September, 2019, the “Media Advocate” initiative followed online media reports on the President of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Sargsyan’s personality and activities.

35 leading Armenian news agencies have been monitored.

In the specified period, 193 articles were declared, 24 of which were negative, 1 was positive and 168 were neutral.

Armenian President Armen Sargsyan’s position in the media field is rather weak in this ten-day period, this is the first time that only a single positive article is published about the president. Negative articles are diverse.

According to media outlets, this time, former MP, head of the “Yerkir Tsirani” party, Zaruhi Postanjyan addressed the president. She accuses Armen Sargsyan of being an employee of the USSR NSS. The ppublication includes quotes from Zaruhi Postanjyan’s letter: “Studying Armen Sargsyan’s biography, it becomes clear that in the Soviet era, this person could not, without being a KGB (CSS – Committee for State Security) employee, travel to the UK in 1984-1985 as a visiting lecturer at Cambridge University. Of course, the proof of Armen Sargsyan’s being a KGB agent may be found when the Lustration Law is adopted. However, this important episode of Armen Sargsyan’s biography, that is leaving the USSR for a year and moving to a capitalist country as a visiting lecturer, is already well-grounded suspicion about his connection with the KGB.”

Armen Sargsyan is still accused of having links with Amulsar and defending their interests. Media outlets recall the fact that Armen Sargsyan called for quitting smoking. According to media reports, this statement was made during a meeting with Arsen Torosyan. One may find accusation in Marina Khachatryan’s publication against Arsen Torosyan as well: “The fact that the person, who uselessly holds Health Minister’s office, “praised” Amulsar mine’s exploitation (we have not forgotten that person’s father’s statements either), I am sure, is not also by chance. I do not exclude the assignment received at this meeting: to present the poison and danger in a good light. This is how the most important issues of our country are solved, ladies and gentlemen … What issues does Armen Sargsyan solve by baking bread or eating ice cream? I fail to understand”, – noted the former member of the Yerevan Council of Elders.

The media agencies also accuse Armen Sargsyan of being afraid of Nikol Pashinyan. It is noted that Armen Sargsyan had been invited to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II on September 1, which was to take place in Poland, but the president did not attend the event. The reason for not attending it, according to the president’s office, was the fact that Armen Sargsyan was on vacation, but the media outlets claim that Armen Sargsyan did not attend those meetings because Nikol Pashinyan had not attended it them either.

President Armen Sargsyan is already involved in political processes, but neutral articles mainly refer to his public activism, official statements or congratulations to foreign leaders on special occasions.