Notes from the Armenian Blogosphere

The Armenian and English versions of the CRD / TI Armenia Eleciton Monitor 2007 blog have published their notes on the Armenian Blogosphere, the Armenian version dealing with Russian and Armenian language blogs, and the English version speaking about the English language blogs. Here are some extracts from both language versions:

Korneilj Glas – better known as analyst Samvel Martirosyan, is pointing at his article published on the “Human rights in Armenia” web site. The analyst expresses interesting points of view regarding the current situation, and describing it as “pre-electoral ideological crises”, whereby the political landscape has become extinguished, and the political forces are incapable of presenting the voters with clear ideas, and those few who make an exception, are “led by ideas which are frozen, solidified over the years and not applicable to current realities”.
[…]
The newly established ICHD blog states that the “lion’s share” of ensuring legitimate elections is the responsability of the state. The blog asks the question very much in circulation these days: “What should be done?”, and follows up with variants of answers:

1. do nothing
2. boycott the elections
3. persistently and everywhere talk about the [negative] impacts of forging elections

[…]
This issue of taxation is perhaps most poignant in a country such as Armenia where the shadow economy and widespread tax evasion accounts for the lion’s share in all financial transactions undertaken. Indeed, after Emil Danielyan reported that many of Armenia’s wealthiest men, who are coincidently sitting in Parliament, post losses despite their obvious affluence, Armenia Blog posts satellite images, photographs and commentary on their mansions and estates.
[…]
Interestingly, the oligarchs who will once again be running for Parliament are still able to get away with tax evasion and other illegalities much to the concern of civil society and human rights activists who are already in shock over the continuing eviction of residents from their homes in central Yerevan to make way for the new constructions. Indeed, Armenia Now warns that this situation is set to continue.