Today we live in a society, which can not imagine life without expressing views on social media. Probably it does have certain advantages. Nevertheless, many participants of active discussions have already forgotten or do not even know about the developments, which unfolded in Armenia 5, 10 or 15 years ago.

To fill the gap Mediamax presents 5/10/15 project, which introduce developments in Armenia 5, 10 and 15 years ago.

•    15 YEARS AGO: JANUARY 1-16, 2007

“Two humps of the camel”

On January 10 U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza stated that the year of 2006 in the process of the Karabakh conflict settlement was a year of an up and a down and an up again.

Matthew Bryza

Photo: Photolure

“A year of an up and a down and an up again. Like on two humps of the camel, but ending year on the top of the hump, rather than in between. In the beginning of the year there was great anticipation with Rambouillet meeting in February, leading to the meeting of the presidents in June in Bucharest. Neither of them played out to our hopes. I made some statements with my fellow co-chairs about our disappointments, in which we called upon president to show bold leadership and improve the basic principles that the co-chairs had proposed. I am happy to report that the presidents did do just that. So, we can back up from that low to up with solid meeting between Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian in Minsk at the end of the year. Neither of the Foreign Ministers is soft. They are both competing for their countries national interests, as is absolutely appropriate. But they are respectful to each other. And we just hope that this mutual respect will begin to resonate in the societies in Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Matthew Bryza stated.

“Lack of enthusiasm”

On January 10 Armenian President Robert Kocharyan stated that the Tax and Customs bodies of the country “do not have enough enthusiasm to completely change the situation in the sphere of shadow economy.”

“I do not consider it proper to all the time remind you of the existing shadow economy, and of the fact that the fight against it is your duty. I do not see enough enthusiasm inside your departments for the fight against shadow economy. There are some improvements, but it is not enough for today,” Armenian president stressed.

Geghamyan’s accusation

On January 15 the leader of the oppositional “National Unification” Party Artashes Geghamyan stated that “the company of the Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sargsyan prepared an attempt on the businessman and the founder of “Prosperous Armenia” Party Gagik Tsarukyan.”

Artashes Geghamyian stated that “Tsarukyan himself and President Robert Kocharyan learnt about those intentions, as a result, the Director of the National Security Service of Armenia Karlos Petrosyan lost his post and Tsarukyan was given the opportunity to form his party.”

Artashes Geghamyan

Photo: Photolure

The spokesman for the Armenian President Viktor Soghomonyan stated that “a statement, with so many absurd assertions and provocations can be commented on only by a doctor of corresponding specialization.”

Gagik Tsarukyan stated that he “never before heard about the things Artashes Geghamyan was telling today.”

“That is absurd. Those stories of his have nothing to do with the reality. If Mr. Geghamyan has any political problems, let him not try to solve them knocking together politicians and political forces by means of provocations,” Gagik Tsarukyan’s statement read.

•    5 YEARS AGO: JANUARY 1-16, 2017

“We will get Nakhichevan out of blockade”

On January 11 president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated that “we will get Nakhichevan out of railway blockade.”

“Last spring I ordered to complete our railway road to the border with Iran, and we have achieved that goal. In 7-8 months we built the remaining part and constructed a bridge across Astarachay. Thus, in just eight months Azerbaijan fulfilled the task we had regarding the North-South Corridor. Now we came forward with additional initiatives relating to launch of this large project. Its realization will direct cargo, coming from India and Pakistan, through Azerbaijan to Iran, Russia, Northern Europe and back. Millions of tons of cargo will be transported across our territory, and thousands of jobs will be created. Moreover, implementation of this project will get Nakhichevan out of railway blockade. Nakhichevan will connect with Azerbaijan by a railway road through Iran,” Aliyev stated.

“In case of productive work”

On January 13 Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan said that he did not yet know whether he would be involved in the electoral list of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).

Karen Karapetyan

Photo: Tigran Mehrabyan

“Being an Armenian citizen, I have lived outside of Yerevan for the last 5 years. I do not know whether the number of my residence days here complies with the law. In case it does not correspond to the demands, I will not be involved,” Karen Karapetyan said.

Touching upon his activity as Prime Minister in 2018, Karen Karapetyan said that he “is committed to keep this position in case of productive work.”

Ara Tadevosyan