BBC Monitoring Trans Caucasus Unit

Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring

Wednesday

 

By BBC Monitoring

 

Views in Azerbaijan on the outcome of the 9 December parliamentary election in Armenia were largely split according to political lines.

 

Independent outlets and opposition figures say that following the Armenian election, Azerbaijan is the only undemocratic country in the region. Pro-government media focused on the low turnout and the lack of a true opposition in the new Armenian parliament.

 

Blow to Baku's reputation

 

A commentary by independent news agency Turan said that Nikol Pashinyan's victory in the election damaged Azerbaijan's reputation. "Official Baku has become the only government in the South Caucasus which the democratic world criticises for authoritarian rule, the cult of personality, opposition arrests and violations of freedoms of speech and assembly," it said.

 

The commentary added that the election results would not help Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict as Armenian's new leader has never said that Armenian troops could withdraw from Azerbaijani lands.

 

In general it noted that Nikol Pashinyan's activities so far indicate that he would continue the previous government's policy on Karabakh.

 

Opposition leader Ali Karimli wrote on Facebook that Armenia's democratic image is strengthening which, in turn, may weaken Baku's' position in the Karabakh conflict.

 

"The democratisation of Armenia has strengthen the tendency towards democratic changes in the region. It is a positive thing that Armenia is moving away from Russia's influence, but if democratic changes lag in Azerbaijan, our positions in the Karabakh conflict may weaken. Under these circumstances, the only way to protect our national interests is to democratise Azerbaijan with no delay," Karimli said.

 

'Victory amounting to defeat'

 

In contrast, pro-government media focused on the low turnout, saying that the Armenian new leadership is losing popularity. Media outlets also underscored the lack of opposition in the country's new parliament.

 

Private pro-government news website 1news.az said that Pashinyan's victory "amounts to defeat".

 

"The outcome of the election, to be more precise, the voter turnout, was not rosy… Many demonstrated their disappointment in the new government by not going to the voting booths… Voters do not care about election when they have empty fridges at home," the website said in a commentary on 11 December.

 

"It has turn out that the barometer which has long showed high popular support of Pashinyan shows zero now," it said.

 

MP Rasim Musabayov told 1news.az that Pashinyan "secured a constitutional majority in parliament by criticising the previous government. "The election was probably free, but it was not fair or competitive because there is no opposition in parliament now," he added.

 

Pro-government news website Day.az said on 12 December that according to unnamed Armenian experts, Pashinyan has lost 10 per cent of his voters – from the 80 per cent his bloc won in the Yerevan municipal election in September to the 70 per cent his bloc received in the 9 December polls.

 

The website's commentary added that seats in the new Armenian parliament will be occupied by "grant-eaters", i.e. NGO representatives who used to depend on foreign grants to survive.

 

"In a word, now sitting in the Armenian parliament, they will give Armenians a load of garbage while simultaneously be busy with things like marijuana, same-sex marriages, privileges to sectarians and other vulgarities. And we can tell the Armenian people – bully for you."

 

The vice speaker of the Azerbaijan parliament, Bahar Muradova, said that everything possible had been done to ensure Pashinyan's victory and those who could prevent this were isolated while voters were intimidated.

 

Pro-government Novoye Vremya newspaper said on 10 December that Pashinyan may turn into a dictator as there will be no opposition in the new parliament. "Armenia's incumbent acting prime minister may soon become a dictator with all the relevant consequences – repression of dissent and rejection of the pluralism of opinions. But Pashinyan and his team should remember how dictators end up sometimes," the paper said.

 

Little optimism for Karabakh talks

 

Novoye Vremya went on to say that it does not believe that Pashinyan's alleged compliancy will have a positive impact on the Karabakh peace talks.

 

"All the political moves of Armenia's incumbent premier regarding the Karabakh settlement do not inspire confidence," the paper said. "Karabakh, as many Armenians say, is a national issue and heads of state cannot decide anything without the people's consent. However high-sounding these claims may seem, they reflect the current reality in Armenia," the paper added.

 

Private pro-government newspaper Musavat said on 10 December that the only way for Armenia's new government to improve the situation in the country is to demonstrate a "constructive approach to the Karabakh conflict". If it does not happen, it will mean that the country lacks political groups "wishing peace and capable of resolving the Karabakh conflict peacefully". Then war will be the only way left to resolve the conflict, the paper added.

 

Independent Zerkalo newspaper said on 11 December that Pashinyan's main task is to "free the Armenian public of the bizarre idea of a Great Armenia and start real negotiations to resolve the Karabakh conflict".

 

"Either he resolves the Karabakh conflict and radically changes everything, or he continues [ex-president] Serzh's [Sargsyan] unsuccessful policy and betrays the velvet revolution," the newspaper said.