Public TV did not refer to the criticism following the Prime Minister’s congratulatory message to Lukashenko in its August 11 newscast.Many human rights activists, including those who have always supported Nikol Pashinyan, consider Prime Minister’s move incomprehensible and absurd. The oppositionists think that Nikol Pashinyan hurried to congratulate Lukashenko, while the pro-government deputies and the Prime Minister’s spokesman do not consider it expedient to comment on such a scandalous move.
The Public TV’s report on the situation in Belarus does not mention that more than 3.000 people were detained during the post-election protests, that opposition leaders were arrested, that media leaders and journalists were pressured, and that people did not believe in the election results. Lukashenko, who has held the post for 26 years, will assume the post of the head of the country for the sixth time. According to official data, one person was killed during the protests.
Oppositionists claim that amid such situation, Armenia was the first in the list of congratulators; it is puzzling that Nikol Pashinyan always used to speak about fair elections, the importance to consider the voice of the people. Such a step contradicts the revolutionary values proclaimed by Pashinyan, the Prime Minister is accused of being guided by double standards. The publicly funded television, however, did not respond to these reactions, bypassing the event of public importance to please the authorities.
