From 21 to 30 June, 2020, 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, 1058 articles were declared, 312 of which were negative, 133 were positive and 613 were neutral.
The number of negative articles published on RA President Armen Sargsyan increased in comparison to previous weeks.
The criticism is mainly related to the laws passed by the National Assembly, which were signed by Armen Sargsyan.
Touching upon the laws adopted by the National Assembly and widely discussed by the public, Sevak Hakobyan wrote: “President Armen Sargsyan signed a law considering his signature useless, he did not apply to the Constitutional Court, when the majority of the NA, that is “My Step” fraction overthrew the constitutional order. Moreover, its Armen Sargsyan’s fault, there is a real crisis in the Constitutional Court today, and now, when it is no longer important, he will sign anything or not, he says, I will not sign the law passed recently.
Human rights activist Artak Galstyan wrote on his Facebook page: “The President refused to sign the law adopted by the National Assembly today, by which we were finally getting rid of the judges of the Constitutional Court. Let’s record that Serzh Sargsyan’s president Armen Sargsyan was the last to take off his mask.”
Referring to the topic, Andranik Tevanyan, head of the Politeconomy Research Institute, wrote: “If Armen Sargsyan thinks that by washing his hands and behaving as an ostrich, he will be able to pretend that he is political virgin, he is wrong. “A process of overthrowing the constitutional order and embezzlement of power by a group of people is taking place in Armenia. Armen Sargsyan, the person holding the post of the President of the Republic of Armenia at the expense of Armenia’s interests, plays an important role in that crime.”
Avetik Chalabyan, co-founder of the “National Agenda” party, in his turn, noted: “Immediately afterwards, the same zealous group of deputies decided to deprive the President of the Republic of Armenia of the right to sign the amendments to the Constitution, while announcing that the incumbent President himself had asked to be relieved of that heavy burden. Incumbent President Armen Sargsyan confirmed this by signing the controversial law a day and a half later, releasing him from further obligations to be an impartial arbiter of the amendments to the Constitution.”
