From 1 to 7 January, 2020, the “Media Advocate” Initiative followed online media reports on the Government of the Republic of Armenia. 35 leading Armenian news agencies have been monitored.
In the specified period, 128 articles were declared, 42 of which were negative, 24 were positive and 62 were neutral.
Both positive and negative articles on the Government were declared, but the negative ones prevail.
According to press analyses, such a heated response to the Fake Facebook user case would work to the detriment of Armenia. The article notes: “The government, painfully responding to every word that goes beyond the “permissible “limits, shows its Achilles heel. Now the opponents of the government in Armenia and abroad know the weak spots and are likely to strike again.”
According to another analysis, Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that the state system is resisting the revolution is not accidental. According to the publication, Pashinyan has realized that his government is failing in almost all areas, and is now trying to find the guilty ones in his team, and so as to cast-off the responsibility, he intends to propose to the Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia Parties to form a coalition government until March.”
The government has also been criticized for car imports case. According to the article, in 2019 Armenia became a favorable supply platform for member states of the Eurasian Union, but that platform has been closed since January 1, 2020, and the government has reportedly done nothing to prevent increasing of customs duties from increasing and relieving the burden of consumers.
Arsen Babayan, posted a picture of MP Arman Babajanyan on his Facebook page and wrote: “Which government except the one of “New Armenia” will make the military servicemen stand in front of this desertor who was convicted of evading military service by falsifying documents, so that he stands proudly in front of them and addresses them without shame?”
Director of Jermuk Tourism Development Center Narek Mirzoyan noted in his turn that the government is doing nothing to develop tourism in Jermuk.
According to one of the publications, the Central Bank has published statistics on foreign direct investment. While the government is trying to make the impression that foreign capital interests are high in the Armenian economy, CB data state the otherwise.
The publication noting that the estimated number of tourists in the first quarter of 2020 will grow by 14%, according to the Tourism Committee was positively assessed.
Avet Poghosyan, the newly appointed head of the Kentron district, said the government had recently taken a good initiative. The legislative initiative whereby property acquired through illicit enrichment can be confiscated without a court order is in the National Assembly.
