2023 October 29

Daily news wrap-up

Armenia's public TV takes a sharp turn against Russia after Kremlin propagandists' anti-Armenia coverage \\\ Russian peacekeepers treated Nagorno-Karabakh blockade as business opportunity: residents \\\ Diasporan draft evaders could return to Armenia after completing service and/or paying fine: bill
by ar_david_hh

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Are you a male diasporan who can't return to Armenia due to legal issues caused by "draft evasion"? A new bill might help you.

An MP from the ruling party has drafted a bill that would allow individuals between the ages of 27 and 37 to clear their records by doing one of the following:

(1) Serve 2 years in the army

(2) Serve 1 year and pay ֏2.5M ($6,250)

(3) Serve 6 months and pay ֏5M ($12,500)

(4) Serve 1 month and pay ֏10M ($25,000)

(5) Serve 0 months and pay ֏15M ($37,500)

The goal:

(1) Many diasporans return to Armenia.

(2) The Armenian army welcomes more diasporans.

(3) More budget revenues.

(4) Authorities save money by not spending it on the attempts to find draft evaders.

(5) Reduce the load on police and relevant authorities dealing with draft evaders.

(6) Young diasporans return, bringing with them their families and financial resources accumulated abroad.

(7) Even if diasporans don't settle permanently, at least they'll be able to frequently visit Armenia as tourists.

(8) Strengthen ties with diaspora.

[source,](https://factor.am/705566.html)

Armenia has no future without Russia, according to a Russian official

BORDYUZHA (ex-chief of CSTO): I can't imagine the future of Armenia without CSTO. I just can't imagine that future because Armenia is so integrated with Russia, and not only economically because a huge number of Armenians live in Russia, several million Armenians.

[source,](https://factor.am/705622.html)

dialogue: the head of Armenia's TV regulator is fed up with Kremlin's anti-Armenia propaganda

• Context: Russian state-run channels have been inviting pro-Azerbaijan propagandists and broadcasting calls against Armenia's sovereignty. They also used slurs against Armenia's pro-Western politicians, public figures, and PM Pashinyan. Armenia handed a note of protest to Russia for the content broadcasted on Russian state channels. Russia also handed a note of protest to Armenia for anti-Kremlin content, presumably broadcasted by private outlets and pro-Western public figures in Armenia.*

This is an interview by TV host Petros Ghazaryan, the primetime host on Armenia's public TV. Petros has become critical of the Kremlin recently. His junior co-host/guest is Tigran Hakobyan, the head of Armenia's TV regulator, an independent agency. Tigran is also fed up with the Kremlin's propaganda, especially the personal insults.

PETROS: Let's start by discussing the content broadcasted by Russian state television. Why did Russian channels suddenly decide to increase Pashinyan's personal rating? *[meaning the Armenian public dislikes Russia so much that any anti-Pashinyan content coming from Russia would only raise Pashinyan's rating]*

TIGRAN: First. Let's clarify that the recent problematic content was not broadcasted on a Russian state-owned public channel.

PETROS: It's the same thing, ORT is a state channel.

TIGRAN: The Russian state has a share in the channel. The Kremlin can always claim that it can't curate the content of a commercial channel because of "free speech", although we all understand very well how things work in Russia.

The content in question was a 1-hour show called "Куклы наследника Тутти" [doll of the heir Tutti?]. Not many in Armenia cared about this show until their piece about Armenia and the Armenian government.

We researched the previous targets of this show over the past year. Almost every target was a Western official. Joseph Borrell, Macron, PM of Italy, FM of Germany, NatSec Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden, and generally Western officials who have played any role in the Ukraine conflict.

PETROS: Were personal insults used against them as well?

TIGRAN: Yes. Joe Biden was presented as senile. I won't repeat the insult used against Macron but it was about him being much younger than his wife. Nancy Pelosi was called a nutjob witch. The insults were particularly nasty against female officials.

It's understandable that Russia views them as political opponents and wants to throw manure at them, but then you find targets that don't fit in that category. For example, gender insults were used against former First Lady Michele Obama who has been out of the White House for quite some time now. She was a well-mannered and nice lady. The hour-long show dedicated to her questioned her gender: is she a man or a woman?

Another target was Bill Gates who was presented as someone attempting to destroy the planet. The president of the European Bank was another one. The show creates a toxic and evil atmosphere.

Here is the common denominator: All 50+ targets were members of the free world. You don't find a single target who is a murderous dictator from Africa, Mullah Omar of the Taliban, etc.

PETROS: That's because Russia is attempting to develop relations with the Taliban and African dictators.

TIGRAN: Pashinyan's entry in this "free world club" could somewhat boost his rating.

PETROS: Let's discuss some theories on why Russia did this.

[watch the full video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmu0DoWPOo8?t=399)

the war of TV boxes

In a rare move, Armenia's public TV released a video directly criticizing Russian public TV for the *"lies, disinformation, and insults"* presented during the aforementioned program discussed by Petros and Tigran.

The video presents several examples of the lies circulated during the Russian show. They went as far as to circulate fake news about Pashinyan wearing a million-dollar watch that was debunked back in 2018. Pashinyan was wearing a $250 watch made by an Armenian company.

[the video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVsjApBaA8c)

Armenia's public TV released another video critical of Russian peacekeepers for selling basic necessities to Nagorno-Karabakh residents under a blockade for exorbitant prices

The public outlet interviewed several residents and public figures from Nagorno-Karabakh who accused Russian peacekeepers of getting rich off of the poor residents under the blockade.

RESIDENT: Russians were selling us a 20-liter canister of fuel for ֏75,000 ($188). [That's around 8x more expensive than in Armenia today.]

RESIDENT: Russian peacekeepers were making good money even before the launch of the total blockade [blockade began in December, total blockade began after June]. I was under the impression that the head of the peacekeepers was going to leave Nagorno-Karabakh in a Maybach and buy an apartment in central Moscow.

RESIDENT: They were selling flour to hungry residents for ֏90,000 ($225).

RESIDENT: They were seeling the ֏2,700 Iranian cigarettes for ֏50,000. *[literally an open-air prison?]*

RESIDENT: During the initial period of the blockade when the peacekeepers were importing certain quantities of food, they were reselling them for very high prices. The price of a peacekeeping truck transporting food from Armenia to Stepanakert was 60,000 dollars, for a 60 km distance.

RESIDENT: Peacekeepers would bring canned food to villages and exchange them for a bottle of vodka. In 2020, when we needed construction materials, the commander of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Lachin named Denis, demanded $1,000 from us in exchange for allowing us to demolish the roofs of schools to be used as construction materials. Why did you come here? To sell roof?

RESIDENT: [shows his van] I transferred 26 refugee children to Armenia in this van. The battery died while we were stuck in the vehicle caravan. The peacekeepers saw one last opportunity to get rich. They refused to jumpstart my car and instead offered to sell a battery for $125.

RESIDENT: There was a big business during the blockade. They didn't intervene during the war.

RESIDENT: After the 2020 war, Russian peacemakers did not install their outposts on the borders. They were located in the rear. Our soldiers were kidnapped by Azeris in the presence of Russian peacekeepers. Some of our villages were invaded.

ANALYST: If at first Russia was presenting its peacekeepers as "guarantors of peace", then at some point the description changed to "observers". Russia has changed "Stepanakert" to "Kankendi" and uses Azerbaijani terminology in general. This is the definition of treason. //

The video goes on to present old footage of Russian peacekeepers making promises to Nagorno-Karabakh civilians while promoting their presence, before presenting the situation after the ethnic cleansing.

ANALYST: Nagorno-Karabakh had one of the most pro-Russian population in the world. They greeted the peacekeepers like heroes in 2020. Unlike in Armenia, there were no "George Soros grant-takers" in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia had a monopoly there. Somehow Russian government has managed to turn this population into its enemies.

[the video on Armenia's public TV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXQprttto08)

lately, Armenia's public TV has been inviting more pro-Western political analysts highly critical of Russia

This is a FYI headline, relevant to the current events.

source: my observation

municipal elections were held in Verin Dvin and Arzni communities

Verin Dvin: 53% turnout

Arzni: 55% turnout

[source,](https://factor.am/705540.html) [source,](https://hetq.am/hy/article/161585)

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/17jbiqg/armenias_public_tv_takes_a_sharp_turn_against/