Since June 3 the publication of “Iravunk” newspaper (party organ of Constitutional
Right Union) restarted. As it has been reported, the publication of the newspaper
was suspended on April 4, 2008, due to the orders of the RA Service of Compulsory
Execution, implementing the court ruling that committed to restore the Chief
Editor of “Iravunk” Hovhannes Galajian and the Director of the newspaper Gegham
Grigorian in their positions. The conflicts at CRU conference in September 2006
between its leaders, Hrant Khachatrian and Haik Babukhanian, made a split not
only of the party but also the editorial board of its print organ. The Chairman
of CRU Board Hrant Khachatrian dismissed the Chief Editor and the Director of
the newspaper and on February 23, 2007 “Iravunk” was published with a new editor,
Piruza Meliksetian. On their behalf Haik Babukhanian, Hovhannes Galajian and
Gegham Grigorian since February 27 started publishing an alternative newspaper
— “Iskakan Iravunk”. At the same time Hovhannes Galajian and Gegham Grigorian
addressed the court demanding to be restored in the positions of “Iravunk” heads
(see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, April
4-10, 2008). Thus, Hovhannes Galajian and Gegham Grigorian again headed
“Iravunk” newspaper and Haik Babukhanian again became the Chairman of the Editorial
Board.
On the same day, June 3, a new newspaper was published, “Iravunk de Facto”.
Its Chief Editor is Piruza Meliksetian. As YPC was told by Piruza Meliksetian,
“Iravunk de Facto” is unrelated to any political party and is a private medium.
The founder and the publisher of “Iravunk de Facto” is “Tesaket” LLC. The newspaper
is issued twice a week on 8 A3 pages, with a print run of 3,500 copies.
