Both in public and in private, one question has dominated conversations in Armenia over the past month: Will Levon Ter-Petrosian's return to politics prove a true comeback?
A speech by former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossian, coupled with speculation about his possible candidacy in the 2008 presidential elections, has roiled Armenia's political waters.
Local observers believe opposition from the international community led to the failure of a controversial bill that could have restricted Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's broadcasts in Armenia. Despite the vote outcome, however, they argue that the legislation's implications for freedom of media still linger on.
Dozens of demonstrators took to the streets in Yerevan on July 2 to protest draft legislation that they say could stifle free speech ahead of Armenia's 2008 presidential election. The legislation, if passed, would enable officials to terminate Armenian broadcasts of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, government critics contend.
Armenia has a new government. Despite early hints from Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian that the cabinet's composition would diversify, the makeup looks set to reinforce the ruling Republican Party of Armenia's political weight.
Nearly a month after Armenia's May 12 parliamentary elections, dissatisfaction with the vote among opposition parties and local election monitors shows no sign of abating. Four opposition groups have called for fresh elections, while a prominent non-governmental organization has questioned the campaign finance practices of two major pro-government parties.
Police and opposition protestors clashed on May 9 in downtown Yerevan amidst a protest against what activists claim is a government plan to rig Armenia's parliamentary vote. The brawl, the first such well-publicized incident of the campaign, came just over a day before official campaigning for the May 12 election ends.
In recently released reports, local and international observers have noted improvements in Armenia's preparations for its May 12 parliamentary vote, but a potpourri of election code violations and campaign irregularities suggest that the country's election clean-up campaign may have mixed results.
With just over a day left in Armenia's parliamentary campaign, many voters say that it will take more than promises of a strong army or increased pensions to get them to the polls on May 12. Some sociologists put the disinterest down to political parties' failure to use professional public relations techniques.
With Armenia's parliamentary vote just over a week away, opposition parties are complaining that pro-government parties and local government officials have created "an atmosphere of fear." The governing Republican Party of Armenia is dismissive of the opposition allegation, while the Central Election Commission states that it is doing its best to address complaint.
