YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–The first issue of "Hayots Ashkhar" newspaper was published Tuesday.
"The newspaper is the organ of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation–in essence–but not officially," said Gagik Mkrtychian–member of the ARF Executive Council of Armenia and Editor-in-Chief of the paper. "Our aim is not to become an elite paper but a paper of the people," he noted. Mkrtychian further explained that the newspaper will mainly cover problems pertaining to human rights–democracy–the Armenian Cause–the Karabakh issue–the military–and the Diaspora. The primary objective is to address national goals and ideals.
According to Gagik Mkrtychian–there have not been any obstacles in the registration and publication of the paper. "The fact that confiscated property has been returned and the lack of obstacles in the registration of this newspaper gives us hope that ARF related issues will be solved. But it is just a hope," he said.
"Hayots Ashkhar" has 30 staff members–90 percent of whom formerly worked in the "Yerkir" daily. The paper–which has no financial problems–was founded by the staff.