Balloon explosion tragedy at Armenia ruling Republican party pre-election rally exposed blatant disregard to human lives

RFE/RL: “At least 144 people were hospitalized with burns after mass explosions of campaign balloons during a pre-election concert and rally held in Yerevan’s main square by President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) late on Friday.” 

My Question No.1: 

What on earth these balloons were filled in with?

Unconfirmed reports suggest that instead of helium they were filled in with cheap gas-like substances. I am inclined to believe this version.

My Question No. 2: 

Why after such huge incident "concert" continued? And why after such incident Armenia president went on to deliver his planned pre-election speech as if nothing happened?

No, it is NOT always OK to say: “Show must go on”.

RFE/RL reports: “President Sarkisian addressed the crowd shortly afterwards. He did not mention the unprecedented emergency in his speech. The concert continued after the speech.” 

BBC reports: “Despite the incident, President Serge Sarkisian went on to address thousands of people at the rally. The balloons were decorated with the governing Republican Party's slogan "let's believe in change". 

My verdict: 

What a blatant disregard to human lives!!
***
I am extremely sad and angry. My thoughts are with injured people...

Disgrace of the Day: police in Azerbaijan capital Baku escorts a girl after she shouted "freedom"

I am speechless. Can state brutality go any further than this? A total disgrace.

*via Yahoo News:

Azeri police escort a girl after she shouted "freedom" during an opposition rally to protest against policies by the authorities in Baku April 17, 2011. The girl attended the protest with her mother and the two were taken away in a police car. REUTERS/Irada Humbatova

Losers! Armenia TV censors president-related joke at Tashir 2011 pop music ceremony from Moscow

This was such a blatant censorship by Armenia TV that even Soviet-style apparatchiks would feel uncomfortable about. At least Soviet era communists were employing more sophisticated methods. They interrupted live coverage of humorist Garik Martirosyan's joke re Armenia president Serj Sargsyan during Tashir 2011 Armenian pop music ceremony from Moscow, by replacing it with the sketch of own production.

Immediately, @ArmComedy and myself @unzippedblog started commenting on Twitter and using hashtag #fail in relation to Armenia TV.

Around 30 mins later, they realised what a ridiculous thing they have done, and Garik went to the stage and repeated his joke. I am so not buying that Garik's joke was censored due to "technical glitch", as was announced during the ceremony. It was because Armenia TV got scared, and decided not to 'risk', just in case. At the end, as expected, the joke was anything but 'dangerous' for Armenian president.

Armenia TV made a laughing stock out of itself. There is one word for such people. Losers!

P.S. I am not going to comment here about the ceremony itself. Suffice to say, if not for Lara Fabian, I should have demanded an apartment in Yerevan as a compensation for wasted hours and serious attack of tastelessness.

‘Top’/’bottom’ Arthur Baghdasaryan, homophobia, political prostitution and ‘European values’ in Armenia

Read more on Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*source of photo: Photolur, via A1+ (from my archive: Disgrace of the Day - Arthur Baghdasaryan)

Disgrace of the Day - Arthur Baghdasaryan

So here we are. Arthur Baghdasaryan accepted an offer by prime minister (‘elected president’) Serj Sargsyan to take a position of secretary (= chief) of Armenia’s National Security Council. From now on Arthur Baghdasaryan and his “Orinats Yerkir” party bear equal responsibility with the ruling regime in relation to political situation and developments in Armenia.

You do not just offer this post to ‘opposition’ leader. It’s pretty important position dealing directly with issues of internal and external security of Armenia. You offer this post only to a person whom you really trust. Currently this position is led by the head of presidential administration.

I must say, Arthur Baghdasaryan is an excellent actor. There were always doubts in relation to his persona that he is playing game of Armenian authorities, with various post-election scenarios/speculations. But there was always ‘may be not’, always some kind of uncertainty there. Now we know exactly that it is not an extreme rhetoric or inflexibility from Ter-Petrosyan side that prevented Arthur Baghdasaryan from joining opposition coalition. He was just playing a game, he was always a part of ruling regime.

If current opposition movement led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan achieved something, this is one of the achievements. It helps clear things up in Armenian political scene, so that for once we will know who is who. Excellent step by chess loving prime minister Serj Sargsyan. A total disgrace for Arthur Baghdasaryan and his “Orinats Yerkir” party (and I am not talking here about thousands of his followers who genuinely believed him) who have always been a party of authorities, never an ‘opposition’ as they claimed to be. Just like nationalist ARF Dashnaktsutyun party...

*source of photo: Photolur, via A1+