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TER-PETROSIAN READY FOR POWER-SHARING DEAL WITH NEW ALLIES
Emil Danielyan
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24569128.html
03.05.2012
Armenia - Supporters of the opposition Armenian National Congress
(HAK) attend a campaign rally in Yerevan's Liberty Square, 3 May 2012.
Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian expressed readiness on Thursday
to enter into a power-sharing agreement with the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
after Sunday's parliamentary elections.
"In case of a favorable correlation of forces, a new, real [governing]
coalition could be formed in the [next] National Assembly, replacing
the false coalitions that have existed until now and been always
dominated by the Republican Party (HHK)," Ter-Petrosian told
thousands of supporters of his Armenian National Congress (HAK)
rallying in Yerevan.
"The Armenian National Congress does not exclude its participation
in a real coalition, while categorically rejecting any cooperation
with the Republican and Orinats Yerkir parties which it considers to
be our country's main evil," he said.
In any case, explained the former Armenian president, the HAK's
"minimum objective" will be to prevent President Serzh Sarkisian's
HHK from retaining its control over the parliament. That would "lay
the groundwork for finally getting rid of the criminal regime in the
next presidential election" in 2013, he said.
Armenia - Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian greets thousands
of supporters rallying in Yerevan, 03May2012.xArmenia - Opposition
leader Levon Ter-Petrosian greets thousands of supporters rallying
in Yerevan, 03May2012.
Despite mutual antagonisms among their leaders, the HAK, the BHK and
Dashnaktsutyun have been increasingly cooperating ahead of the vote
with the stated aim of ensuring its freedom and fairness. They set up
a joint anti-fraud headquarters for that purpose last month. The three
political heavyweights have said until now that their cooperation is
not yet pursuing more far-reaching goals.
Ter-Petrosian stressed the importance of their Inter-Party Center
for Public Oversight of the Elections, saying that it will seriously
complicate what he described as government efforts to rig the ballot
in the HHK's favor. He claimed that of all Armenian political forces
running for the parliament only the HAK, the BHK and Dashnaktsutyun
are genuinely interested in a clean vote.
The Ter-Petrosian-led bloc's growing collaboration with the BHK,
which is part of the current ruling coalition, has been condemned by
the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party throughout the election
campaign. Some Zharangutyun leaders have alleged a secret deal between
Ter-Petrosian and Robert Kocharian, another former president widely
regarded as the BHK's political patron. Ter-Petrosian aides have
denied that.
The HAK leader on Thursday sounded satisfied with his bloc's election
campaign, saying that it has increased popular interest in the May
6 elections. He at the same time urged Armenians to go to the polls
in large numbers.
"It is time to realize that the election outcome depends on the
society's active participation because it is crystal clear that the
higher the voter turnout, the more difficult it will be to falsify
the elections," Ter-Petrosian said. "Victory is close and we can't
let it slip out of our hands," he claimed.
From: Baghdasarian
Emil Danielyan
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24569128.html
03.05.2012
Armenia - Supporters of the opposition Armenian National Congress
(HAK) attend a campaign rally in Yerevan's Liberty Square, 3 May 2012.
Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian expressed readiness on Thursday
to enter into a power-sharing agreement with the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
after Sunday's parliamentary elections.
"In case of a favorable correlation of forces, a new, real [governing]
coalition could be formed in the [next] National Assembly, replacing
the false coalitions that have existed until now and been always
dominated by the Republican Party (HHK)," Ter-Petrosian told
thousands of supporters of his Armenian National Congress (HAK)
rallying in Yerevan.
"The Armenian National Congress does not exclude its participation
in a real coalition, while categorically rejecting any cooperation
with the Republican and Orinats Yerkir parties which it considers to
be our country's main evil," he said.
In any case, explained the former Armenian president, the HAK's
"minimum objective" will be to prevent President Serzh Sarkisian's
HHK from retaining its control over the parliament. That would "lay
the groundwork for finally getting rid of the criminal regime in the
next presidential election" in 2013, he said.
Armenia - Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian greets thousands
of supporters rallying in Yerevan, 03May2012.xArmenia - Opposition
leader Levon Ter-Petrosian greets thousands of supporters rallying
in Yerevan, 03May2012.
Despite mutual antagonisms among their leaders, the HAK, the BHK and
Dashnaktsutyun have been increasingly cooperating ahead of the vote
with the stated aim of ensuring its freedom and fairness. They set up
a joint anti-fraud headquarters for that purpose last month. The three
political heavyweights have said until now that their cooperation is
not yet pursuing more far-reaching goals.
Ter-Petrosian stressed the importance of their Inter-Party Center
for Public Oversight of the Elections, saying that it will seriously
complicate what he described as government efforts to rig the ballot
in the HHK's favor. He claimed that of all Armenian political forces
running for the parliament only the HAK, the BHK and Dashnaktsutyun
are genuinely interested in a clean vote.
The Ter-Petrosian-led bloc's growing collaboration with the BHK,
which is part of the current ruling coalition, has been condemned by
the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party throughout the election
campaign. Some Zharangutyun leaders have alleged a secret deal between
Ter-Petrosian and Robert Kocharian, another former president widely
regarded as the BHK's political patron. Ter-Petrosian aides have
denied that.
The HAK leader on Thursday sounded satisfied with his bloc's election
campaign, saying that it has increased popular interest in the May
6 elections. He at the same time urged Armenians to go to the polls
in large numbers.
"It is time to realize that the election outcome depends on the
society's active participation because it is crystal clear that the
higher the voter turnout, the more difficult it will be to falsify
the elections," Ter-Petrosian said. "Victory is close and we can't
let it slip out of our hands," he claimed.
From: Baghdasarian