Negative articles on Ararat Mirzoyan prevail

From 21 to 30 November, 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, 328 articles were declared, 68 of which were negative, 18 were positive and 242 were neutral.

Negative articles on NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan prevail. Political scientist Narek Samsonyan recently reported that Ararat Mirzoyan had paid 290,000-dram bill for the celebration of his birthday. The news outlet asked where this money came from. Then Ararat Mirzoyan noted that he will file a lawsuit against Narek Samsonyan, also because Samsonyan called him a crackhead (“Plankyash” – Colloquial word for drug addict). Ararat Mirzoyan also added that he used to receive a salary which two time exceeds the current one. One of the news outlets took that statement into consideration and conducted its own investigation. According to it, instead of 5 million drams, Ararat Mirzoyan stated 500,000 in his declaration of assets, back in 2017, which, according to the news agency, is a fraud.

It was then reported that Ararat Mirzoyan called Ashot Ghulyan after a dinner in Artsakh and reportedly tried to make the Artsakh side to pay the bill, but he himself had to pay the 1.5-2 million drams bill.

According to publications, almost all initiatives of Health Minister Arsen Torosyan have been opposed by the National Assembly. The ones who oppose those bills remain unchanged, the oppositionists are Ararat Mirzoyan and a number of MPs,  whose core representative is Narek Zeynalyan, chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Health and Social Affairs.

During a meeting with the minister, former assistant of Ararat Mirzoyan, current MP Kristine Poghosyan made certain statements over this issue. By the way, she is not a member of that committee, but she attended the meeting. Mrs. Poghosyan urged to reject certain points of the bill as, according to her, the propaganda would serve its purpose, and citizens would think that if the state provides any medicine, it is a good one and would buy it. According to the MP, those medicines will gain an advantage and the interests of the others will be trampled on.

According to the news outlet, Ararat Mirzoyan, who is appointed by Nikol Pashinyan as the current Speaker of the Parliament, considers Vladimir Karapetyan, the author of the falsifications.