ACCORDING TO ARMEN MARTIROSIAN, ESTIMATION ON ARMENIA IN U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT IS "EVEN MILD"

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 15, 2009
YEREVAN

The estimation on Armenia in the U.S. State Department report
publicized on June 10 "is even mild, as indeed we see much better
what goes on." Armen Martirosian, the head of the NA Zharangutiun
(Heritage) faction, said at the June 12 press briefing at the National
Assembly. It should be mentioned that the report, in particular,
mentioned that "the 2008 presidential elections held with huge
shortcomings led to a political crisis, which is not overcome up
to now."

As to the decision of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Board
of Directors to stop funding the road construction subprogram in
Armenia to the amount of 68m USD, according to the deputy, "it is our
authorities’ depriving us of additional funds donated to us without
charge for interest in conditions of crisis, as a result of their
criminal negligence or, we can even say, criminal activity."

"They considering their personal interest to be above everything
constantly deliver not only moral, but also financial blows to a
citizen of Armenia, which, naturally, would have an immediate impact
especially on our rural population’s everyday life," A. Martirosian
said. In his words, if the authorities indeed had that pretension as
they declare and speak about economic development programs of regions
and distant populated areas, "they would hold not rigged but normal
elections, would have not political prisoners, but normal justice
thanks to their judicial system, and as a result of it we at least
would have normal roads and irrigation networks."