From May 21 to 31, 2020, the “Media Advocate” Initiative followed online media reports on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s personality and activities. 5 news agencies were monitored: 1in.am, azatutyun.am, armtimes.com, aravot.am and tert.am.
According to the monitoring, 414 articles were published on 5 selected websites regarding Nikol Pashinyan. 49 articles of which are negative, 12 are positive and 353 are neutral.
Negative articles were published on RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The negative articles are mainly related to the revealed different batches of smuggled cigarettes sent to Russia and the sale of weapons in the black market.
Referring to the issue, former Ambassador to the Holy See Mikayel Minasyan noted that Nikol Pashinyan has any relation to that smuggled cigarette issue.
Former MP Samvel Farmanyan referred to the sale of weapons and noted: “What Nikol Pashinyan should have done if he had the opportunity to “prove” that he has nothing to do with this scandal and bloody corruption revealed in the international arms black market. What is more important, does he understand how serious this problem is, how far it can go and what undesirable consequences it can have for our country, which is in a state of semi-war and is actually dependent on foreign arms supplies”? Farmanyan also added: “First of all, he had to present in detail and publicly the grounds on which his government decided to provide a company registered not in the Republic of Armenia, but in the offshore zone, with a license to supply/trade weapons and the case should have been examined in detail.”
From 130 articles published in armtimes.com, 1 was negative, 4 were positive and 125 were neutral.
The press service of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia informed that the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia sent a congratulatory message to the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the occasion of the Republic Day.
The new President of Artsakh apologized to everyone for his mistakes. Referring to the inauguration ceremony, Harutyunyan remembered his dead brother. “We swear often, we swore often, I want to talk about vow, I made to my brother who died on February 13, 1988. My older brother Armen is here. Samvel was three years older than me. When the Artsakh Movement began, on February 13 he addressed his younger brother, “Are you ready to die for the homeland?”, I answered, yes. He kept his vow, my vow still remains, Harutyunyan said, restraining his emotions, concluding his speech with the statement made by RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Stepanakert’s Renaissance Square last year; “Artsakh is Armenia and that’s it.”
On April 3, Robert Kocharyan filed a lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan demanding protection of his honour and dignity from public defamation. The lawsuit was sent to the Judge Tigran Grigoryan of the Court of General Jurisdiction of the city of Yerevan.
From 111 articles published in aravot.am, 23 were negative, 3 were positive and 85 were neutral.
Samvel Farmanyan and Mikayel Minasyan’s remarks were published by the news outlet.
Touching upon the topic of weapons, Armen Ashotyan noted: “After the scandalous video on the accusations of illegal sale of weapons, the government’s propagandists are hurriedly looking for lame excuses instead of denying the actual accusations against Nikol Pashinyan.”
Vahan Babayan, the leader of the Reformist Party, noted that current spread of coronavirus in Armenia is the fault of Nikol Pashinyan and his government: “So many people have died. Has the government’s actions been proportionate, accurate, and professional? Who will answer these questions?”
The UIC (Union of Informed Citizens) stated that the Stepanakert office of the “Union of Informed Citizens” will submit an application to the Artsakh Police, requesting that the participants of the party following the inauguration of the Artsakh Republic President be subjected to administrative liability for violating the requirements of Resolution 2 of the Commandant of the Republic of Artsakh. Furthermore, we will ask to fine the President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan, the RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan and some others.
The message of the Prime Minister of Georgia sent to Nikol Pashinyan was published by the news outlet. In his speech addressed to Pashinyan, the newly elected President of Artsakh stated. “He has done a great job in raising our security.”
From 88 articles published in 1in.am, 5 were negative, 5 were positive and 78 were neutral.
The news outlet published an article by the “Past” daily, according to which, “Recently, there has been more and more actively discussed in the high echelons of the government the issue of “passing” the government, in the conditions of Nikol Pashinyan’s decreased rating and gradual decline of public trust.” The issue has become more relevant nowadays because of tense relations of the Armenian government with Russia (and not only), as the resources of external legitimacy are already running out.”
Mikael Minasyan’s remarks were also published by the news agency. The application of the UNI regarding the famous Artsakh party has been published by the news outlet as well.
The website also published the congratulatory message of the Prime Minister of Georgia addressed to Nikol Pashinyan.
Serzh Tankian, referring to the song “Armenia”, the lyrics of which were written by Nikol Pashinyan, stated: “When I was in Armenia during the days of the revolution, I talked to Nikol about Armenian songs, that most of the songs are very melancholic and sad. For example, duduk is very sad by its nature. And since the revolution was a new enthusiasm for the Armenian people, we decided it was a great idea to have a new song with more positive, victorious words.”
From 48 articles published in tert.am, 17 were negative, 2 were positive and 29 were neutral.
Samvel Farmanyan and Mikayel Minasyan’s remarks were published by the news outlet.
The Facebook post of political scientist Aghasi Yenokyan, was also published. The political scientist, referring to the Armenian authorities, noted: “The mask becomes the 4th symbol of Nikol Pashinyan’s government, along with the arrested Kocharyan, smuggled cigarettes and cash control machines. Of course, all four of these symbols have nothing to do with the country’s development, but just as the role of cash control machines was exaggerated in the past, so now the role of masks is overestimated, even considering the Prime Minister’s statement that wearing a mask can reduce the number of infected people.
Political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, referring to the topic of smuggled cigarettes, noted: “Do I understand correctly that in response to Mikayel Minasyan’s accusations of having business of smuggled cigarettes and diamonds, Nikol Pashinyan has decided to initiate new criminal cases against the former ambassador?” Things, which, according to the Prime Minister, should hide the brilliance of the smuggled diamonds sent to Russia. I don’t know what to call this “strategy” of the Prime Minister – childishness, insidious speculation, or what… What to call it?”
From 42 articles published in azatutyun.am, 3 were negative, 0 was positive and 39 were neutral.
The news agency published the picture of the participants of the inauguration ceremony of the Artsakh President, where one could find Nikol Pashinyan. It was criticized.
The media outlet also mentions that the former Head of the National Security Service (NSS) Arthur Vanetsyan confirmed the fact of his meeting with Mikayel Minasyan.
