From 21 to 31 October, 2019, the “Media Advocate” initiative followed online media reports on the President of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan’s personality and activities. 35 leading Armenian news agencies have been monitored.
In the specified period, 414 articles were declared, 91 of which were negative and 323 were neutral.
NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan has been in the media spotlight this week. However, no positive articles were declared. The NA Speaker’s team has serious challenges on this matter. Sona Aghekyan, member of the “Alternative Municipality” initiative, former member of Yerevan Council of Elders and Ekmalyan 4-16 residents have been protesting in front of the government building. Residents reminded that they have been renting apartments for over 8 years. Sona Aghekyan noted that citizens living in houses for rent who do not have a job to solve the rental fee issue should live in government houses instead of the families of Prime Minister and National Assembly Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan.
According to press reports, Ararat Mirzoyan met with President of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission), Gianni Buquicchio. It is also reported that the topic of the Istanbul Convention has also been discussed. During the discussion Ararat Mirzoyan noted that if they manage to change the current staff of the Constitutional Court and dismiss Hrayr Tovmasyan, ratification of the Convention will be easier. According to Mirzoyan, the most serious obstacle for ratification is the current Constitutional Court President. According to the press, referring to the events over the Constitutional Court, Gianni Buquicchio noted that the processes against Hrayr Tovmasyan give an impression of political persecution.
RA National Assembly Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan, who paid an official visit to Italy, met with the Italian Senate president Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati on October 28. When discussing the Artsakh Issue, Ararat Mirzoyan mentioned that Italy sometimes takes steps that do not contribute to the peaceful settlement of the process. President of the Senate of Italy responded to this remark and said that their actions fully correspond to the official position of their state.
According to another analysis, Ararat Mirzoyan has gone further in his speech at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments. Mirzoyan has spoken of the “velvet revolution” and its benefits, which has served as a “trademark” for a year and a half. The publication notes: “It is surprising, Ararat Mirzoyan did not think over a fact that these same tactics when we present us to the world only with the “velvet revolution” brand, has already been used up, and the world is fed up with it?” Ararat Mirzoyan criticized the Constitutional Court President in his speech. The news outlet raises a question: “Did it mean that Mirzoyan did not have enough to say that he had to focus on the events over the Constitutional Court, and did not he know that his European colleagues are very well aware of the pressures put on the judicial power?”
