Armenia`s authorities following `Overton window` principle -  opposition MP

ArmInfo. Freedom of speech and media is in danger in Armenia, Gegham Manukyan, a member of the Armenia parliamentary faction, told press briefing on November 17. 

He cited a statement by Andranik Kocharyan, a member of the dominant  faction Civil Contract, who proposed sending media representatives to  the borders. Concerned over the facts, Mr Manukyan said that sending  journalists to camps is actually in question. 

"Once a media representative, I am calling on all the media  representatives to defend their rights," he said, recalling instances  of the ruling party's MPs using violence against reporters,  particularly against a reporter of the Yerkir Media TV channel. 

"This disgrace must be put an end to, otherwise the public will  witness disgraceful manifestations," he said. 

As regards the opposition's return to Parliament, Manukyan said that  the Armenia faction has always been in Parliament in various formats.  It started boycotting sessions on June 3, after all the members of  the dominant faction refused to consider the opposition's initiative  on "red lines" concerning Armenia's borders and Artsakh's security.  The opposition's return to Parliament involves all-important issues,  including the 2023 draft budget. Among the government's positive  initiatives is the certification of military personnel and approval  of the Defender of Fatherland programme. However, the opposition MP  said, it was the former authorities that approved the 'I AM'  programme in December 2017, but the new authorities torpedoed it and  proposed their own programme, which is "questionable." 

Armenia's incumbent authorities are following the 'Overton window'  principle, with mutually contradicting statements. In this context,  Mr Manukyan finds it most difficult to comment on Armenian Premier  Nikol Pashinyan's statements. Moreover, many topics arousing public  concern are being tabooed, including the issue of enclaves. "In 2021,  one of the MPs of the ruling party stated in Tavush some enclaves  could be returned to Azerbaijan. That statement was criticized. But  the most important thing is that the issue was raised. Later Nikol  Pashinyan repeatedly spoke of that trying to deny. However, in one of  his speech he spoke of such a possibility," the opposition MP said. 

Tadevos Avetisyan of the same parliamentary faction pointed out that  Armenian ministers' salaries will be raised by AMD 142,000 and the  premier's salary by 200,000 next year, whereas those of staff members  by only AMD 7,000. 

"The figures are suggestive, and there is no point in assessing the  country's budget, when the premier is raising his salary by 25% and  that of a poor public servant by 10%," the MP said.  "With such  rates, in 2026, when, according to the government, the minimum salary  in Armenia will reach AMD 85,000, these funds will be a niggardly sum  in the minimum basket," the MP said. Most citizens' incomes are not  enough for everyday life. 

Mr Tadevosyan also spoke of the authorities' hopes for economic  growth amid the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. "They are well aware of the  risks, so their inflation forecasts for next year are moderate," he  said. 

Armenia's food sufficiency is 47% against the previous 65%, which is  a serious problem, Mr Tadevosyan said.