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OPPOSITION PARTY BLASTS TSARUKIAN, QUITS ANTI-FRAUD STRUCTURE
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24547684.html
13.04.2012
Armenia - Zharangutyun party leader Raffi Hovannisian addresses voters
in Nor Hachn, 12 Apr 2012.
Sargis Harutyunyan, Naira Bulghadarian, Irina Hovhannisyan
The opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party of Raffi Hovannisian on
Friday effectively withdrew from an ad hoc structure that was set up
by Armenia's leading opposition forces and second largest governing
party to fight against electoral fraud.
Zharangutyun attributed the move to the rejection by the Prosperous
Armenia Party (BHK), a junior partner in the governing coalition,
of its conditions relating to the work of the Inter-Party Center for
Public Oversight of the Elections.
Zharangutyun set those conditions shortly after one of its senior
members announced the center's creation on April 4 in a joint
statement with representatives of the BHK, the opposition Armenian
National Congress (HAK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun). It demanded that the top leaders of the four
political forces also sign the statement and explicitly renounce
vote buying.
"As both suggestions were rejected, we can only state our serious doubt
in the efficacy of these [anti-fraud] proposals," read a statement
issued by the election campaign headquarters of Hovannisian's party
"We also express our frustration with political forces which sign
documents ... supporting free and fair elections, while they continue
to commit illegal violations against the most basic standards of free
and fair elections," it charged in a clear reference to the BHK.
Hovannisian has also demanded separately that the BHK pull out of
the ruling coalition to prove its leader Gagik Tsarukian's stated
commitment to free elections. Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am) on the campaign trail on Friday, Hovannisian pointed
to an "unconstitutional" power-sharing declaration that was issued
by Tsarukian and President Serzh Sarkisian last year.
"Why do we need personal responsibility here? Because there have been
cases of a representative of one or another party saying something
about the task force or a political strategy but the chairman of
that party saying that that is only a personal view," said the
Zharangutyun leader.
Armenia - Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian is
greeted by supporters during a campaign rally in Armavir province,
13Apr2012.xArmenia - Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik
Tsarukian is greeted by supporters during a campaign rally in Armavir
province, 13Apr2012.
â~@~Kâ~@~KTsarukian dismissed the Zharangutyun demands as he campaigned
in the southern Armavir region. "I respect [Hovannisian] a lot, he
is a true patriot, but I can't understand his thoughts and ideas,"
he told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). "The coalition will
cease to exist on May 6 anyway. There are only 20 days left."
Tsarukian also reiterated that former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,
who is second the BHK list of election candidates, was authorized by
him to sign the statement on the anti-fraud task force.
"I want to contest fair and transparent elections," he said. "I will
take care of the people's votes and won't let anyone steal them."
Zharangutyun's stance has also been criticized by the opposition HAK
and Dashnaktsutyun. Levon Zurabian, the HAK coordinator, insisted on
Friday that Tsarukian is now interested in a clean vote because of
his political ambitions and an uneasy rapport with President Sarkisian.
"I don't know where that unfolding cooperation through the joint task
force will take us, but the start is very promising," Zurabian said
in a video interview with RFE/RL broadcast through the Internet. "We
believe that the forces making up the task force are really interested
in legitimate elections. The best proof of that is the panic and fear
demonstrated by the authorities today."
"Prosperous Armenia has become an independent political factor ... They
are visibly ready to take steps on their own, and failing to take
advantage of that is a luxury which we can't afford," said Zurabian.
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24547684.html
13.04.2012
Armenia - Zharangutyun party leader Raffi Hovannisian addresses voters
in Nor Hachn, 12 Apr 2012.
Sargis Harutyunyan, Naira Bulghadarian, Irina Hovhannisyan
The opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party of Raffi Hovannisian on
Friday effectively withdrew from an ad hoc structure that was set up
by Armenia's leading opposition forces and second largest governing
party to fight against electoral fraud.
Zharangutyun attributed the move to the rejection by the Prosperous
Armenia Party (BHK), a junior partner in the governing coalition,
of its conditions relating to the work of the Inter-Party Center for
Public Oversight of the Elections.
Zharangutyun set those conditions shortly after one of its senior
members announced the center's creation on April 4 in a joint
statement with representatives of the BHK, the opposition Armenian
National Congress (HAK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun). It demanded that the top leaders of the four
political forces also sign the statement and explicitly renounce
vote buying.
"As both suggestions were rejected, we can only state our serious doubt
in the efficacy of these [anti-fraud] proposals," read a statement
issued by the election campaign headquarters of Hovannisian's party
"We also express our frustration with political forces which sign
documents ... supporting free and fair elections, while they continue
to commit illegal violations against the most basic standards of free
and fair elections," it charged in a clear reference to the BHK.
Hovannisian has also demanded separately that the BHK pull out of
the ruling coalition to prove its leader Gagik Tsarukian's stated
commitment to free elections. Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am) on the campaign trail on Friday, Hovannisian pointed
to an "unconstitutional" power-sharing declaration that was issued
by Tsarukian and President Serzh Sarkisian last year.
"Why do we need personal responsibility here? Because there have been
cases of a representative of one or another party saying something
about the task force or a political strategy but the chairman of
that party saying that that is only a personal view," said the
Zharangutyun leader.
Armenia - Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian is
greeted by supporters during a campaign rally in Armavir province,
13Apr2012.xArmenia - Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik
Tsarukian is greeted by supporters during a campaign rally in Armavir
province, 13Apr2012.
â~@~Kâ~@~KTsarukian dismissed the Zharangutyun demands as he campaigned
in the southern Armavir region. "I respect [Hovannisian] a lot, he
is a true patriot, but I can't understand his thoughts and ideas,"
he told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). "The coalition will
cease to exist on May 6 anyway. There are only 20 days left."
Tsarukian also reiterated that former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,
who is second the BHK list of election candidates, was authorized by
him to sign the statement on the anti-fraud task force.
"I want to contest fair and transparent elections," he said. "I will
take care of the people's votes and won't let anyone steal them."
Zharangutyun's stance has also been criticized by the opposition HAK
and Dashnaktsutyun. Levon Zurabian, the HAK coordinator, insisted on
Friday that Tsarukian is now interested in a clean vote because of
his political ambitions and an uneasy rapport with President Sarkisian.
"I don't know where that unfolding cooperation through the joint task
force will take us, but the start is very promising," Zurabian said
in a video interview with RFE/RL broadcast through the Internet. "We
believe that the forces making up the task force are really interested
in legitimate elections. The best proof of that is the panic and fear
demonstrated by the authorities today."
"Prosperous Armenia has become an independent political factor ... They
are visibly ready to take steps on their own, and failing to take
advantage of that is a luxury which we can't afford," said Zurabian.