For a long time I’ve wanted to compare the names of new cabinet members surmised by the Armenian media with their actual appointments. It’s a good test to determine how reliable a given news outlet’s sources really are. 

Of course, in some cases one doesn’t need a test: say, when local daily Chorrord Ishkhanutyun writes “our presidential sources” or the newspaper Hayots Ashkharh writes “our HAK [Armenian National Congress] sources”. But in the case of others, how trustworthy is the information attributed to their sources?

A recent opportunity to determine this was the news of the candidate for justice minister. On September 4, Arpine Hovhannisyan, who succeeded Hovhannes Manukyan, who had vacated the position on July 14, was appointed the Minister of Justice.

After the dismissal, the press rushed to “appoint” Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun, or ARF-D) MP Artsvik Minasyan to the post. The “appointment” was viewed in the context of constitutional amendments: Manukyan’s dismissal, still as yet for unknown reasons, was viewed in the context of releasing ministerial portfolios for ARF-D ahead of the referendum. But not only did the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) quickly respond [AM], saying there were no negotiations with ARF-D members, but also ARF-D spokespeople denied any offer was made to them connected to the justice minister position. 

Immediately, other names were circulated. Let us recall a few of them — though, in fact, the list of both the news outlets and the presumed candidates is much longer. 

“According to some information, the main candidate for the justice minister position is Hrayr Tovmasyan. Among the list of candidates is also one other former Minister of Justice, Gevorg Danielyan, who likewise is a member of the constitutional commission and is very actively engaged in the process of constitutional reform. Among the candidates is also head of the parliamentary legal committee, Hovhannes Sahakyan, and MIAK [United Liberal National Party] chair, MP Levon Martirosyan.” Compare these predictions [AM] by newspaper Iravunq with the actual appointment. 

Haykakan Zhamanak wrote [AM]: “The name of a new candidate for justice minister is circulating. Being mentioned now is head of the Ministry of Justice’s Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service Mihran Poghosyan […] This name was being circulated int he corridors of [the] government [building] yesterday.” The same paper, though later also mentioning Arpine Hovhannisyan’s name among the candidates, included another candidate’s name. “At this moment, basically, two justice minister candidates’ names are being circulated: Arpine Hovhannisyan and Koryun Nahapetyan.”

Along with Arpine Hovhannisyan and Koryun Nahapetyan, the daily Hraparak published [AM] another candidate’s name: “The most likely candidate for justice minister at this moment is MP Arpine Hovhannisyan, though some consider acting minister Arsen Mkrtchyan’s candidacy more likely, which has begun to be discussed lately. Those in the upper echelons of government think they shouldn’t bring someone from outside into the ministry now, on the threshold of constitutional reform, especially after such an opaque dismissal. ‘Arsen Mkrtchyan is a normal, polite, working guy, has good connections, experience, pictures the sector, I think they’ll appoint him too,’ said the high-ranking source.”

A separate point of discussion is head of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice Artur Osikyan’s candidacy: Not only was his name actively circulated, but also ahead of a HHK executive body meeting, information was made public that Mr. Osikyan was called to the presidential palace — for a meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. The daily Zhoghovurd reported [AM] this meeting as follows: “It is assumed that Serzh Sargsyan called the Penitentiary Service chief to inform him that he wants to appoint him RA justice minister. But, in all likelihood, news of the appointment will be officially announced at the meeting of the HHK executive body to take place today after presenting Osikyan’s candidacy.”

Note, the HHK Supreme Council didn’t make a decision on the appointment at that meeting, nor in the one that followed, though local news media each time would report that the justice minister issue would be discussed at this very meeting. The HHK spokesperson after each meeting would duly inform the press that personnel matters weren’t discussed at the meeting. However, we’re not ruling out the possibility that the matter, nevertheless, was discussed. Just as we can’t rule out the possibility that our colleagues’ sources are, nevertheless, reliable, and that all those candidates were, in fact, considered. But, considering that, with the exception of Artsvik Minasyan, the vast majority of candidates didn’t rush to deny the news, it cannot be ruled out as well that they put into circulation their own names — with the purpose of lobbying. 

Likewise, it can’t be ruled out that those publishing news of possible candidates come up with them themselves — to create the illusion of self awareness. And then they don’t consider it necessary to explain why those they named weren’t appointed. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, as well, if they also explained whether the world would collapse if they informed their audience about the appointments once the decision was made by those who, unlike journalists, have the authority to do so. 

Anna Israelyan

The views expressed in the column are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Media.am.