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Interfax, Russia
Russia & CIS General Newswire
February 8, 2008 Friday 9:31 PM MSK
Ter-Petrosian goes to court over election campaign "obstacles"
YEREVAN Feb 8
Former Armenian President Levon Ter- Petrosian, who is running in the
current election, has filed a suit with the Constitutional Court
complaining about what he called "obstacles" as a result of which "it
is becoming impossible" for him to seek the office of president, the
court said on Friday.
For three months running, the Hailur (Armenian News) program on
Armenian Public Television has been showing footage criticizing Ter-
Petrosian, thereby violating the Election Code and the law on
television and radio, a report by the court cited the ex-president as
saying in his court documents.
Ter-Petrosian, the first president of post-Soviet Armenia, also
complained that he had been given inconvenient television campaign
time that, among other things, prevented him from responding to the
Hailur footage.
"The plaintiff asks the Constitutional Court to declare the obstacles
that have arisen before L. Ter-Petrosian insurmountable," the report
said.
The court expects to hear the suit on Monday.
The constitution prescribes putting off a presidential election for
two weeks if a candidate comes up against campaign obstacles that are
formally declared insurmountable. If the obstacles are not removed
within these two weeks, a new election is to be held on the 40th day
after the two-week period.
Meanwhile, Ter-Petrosian's campaign office issued a statement
claiming that a Hailur issue aired on Friday had deliberately
misinterpreted Ter-Petrosian's suit as a way of withdrawing his
candidacy.
"We state officially that Levon Ter-Petrosian, far from having any
intention to stop his fight against the gangster regime, will pursue
this mission with redoubled energy and carry it to a victorious end,"
the office said in a press release.
"All statements to [the contrary] are aimed at misleading the public
and their authors will be prosecuted," it warned.
Russia & CIS General Newswire
February 8, 2008 Friday 9:31 PM MSK
Ter-Petrosian goes to court over election campaign "obstacles"
YEREVAN Feb 8
Former Armenian President Levon Ter- Petrosian, who is running in the
current election, has filed a suit with the Constitutional Court
complaining about what he called "obstacles" as a result of which "it
is becoming impossible" for him to seek the office of president, the
court said on Friday.
For three months running, the Hailur (Armenian News) program on
Armenian Public Television has been showing footage criticizing Ter-
Petrosian, thereby violating the Election Code and the law on
television and radio, a report by the court cited the ex-president as
saying in his court documents.
Ter-Petrosian, the first president of post-Soviet Armenia, also
complained that he had been given inconvenient television campaign
time that, among other things, prevented him from responding to the
Hailur footage.
"The plaintiff asks the Constitutional Court to declare the obstacles
that have arisen before L. Ter-Petrosian insurmountable," the report
said.
The court expects to hear the suit on Monday.
The constitution prescribes putting off a presidential election for
two weeks if a candidate comes up against campaign obstacles that are
formally declared insurmountable. If the obstacles are not removed
within these two weeks, a new election is to be held on the 40th day
after the two-week period.
Meanwhile, Ter-Petrosian's campaign office issued a statement
claiming that a Hailur issue aired on Friday had deliberately
misinterpreted Ter-Petrosian's suit as a way of withdrawing his
candidacy.
"We state officially that Levon Ter-Petrosian, far from having any
intention to stop his fight against the gangster regime, will pursue
this mission with redoubled energy and carry it to a victorious end,"
the office said in a press release.
"All statements to [the contrary] are aimed at misleading the public
and their authors will be prosecuted," it warned.