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RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN MAY SERIOUSLY CHALLENGE ARMENIA'S RULING AUTHORITIES - RUSSIAN PAPER
TERT.AM
12:25 ~U 20.02.13
Russian Nezovisimaya Gazeta newspaper referred to the presidential
elections held in Armenia and the developments that followed the polls.
"Armenia's Central Election Commission has presented the results
of the Monday presidential polls in Armenia. Like it was expected
the winner became the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan polling a
little less than 60%. But the unexpected outcome was the number of
votes former foreign minister of the country, Heritage party leader
Raffi Hovhannisian has got polling more than 36%. It means that a
new opposition force has appeared in Armenia and its leader seems to
be able to seriously challenge the ruling authorities," the Russian
paper writes.
The paper says Raffi Hovhannisian was expected to be the 2 but not
to register such a result. "During the previous presidential poll
when the tension was much higher and the situation unpredictable,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was the second too, received less than 25%
of votes, according to Armenia's CEC," the paper says, explaining
Hovhannisian's success with three factors.
First, his election campaign was more mobile and more available for
electorate, brighter and humane as the Heritage party's leader was
speaking with people about common things, on common language, avoiding
demonstration of aggression toward the authorities. His meetings with
the heads of regional administrations, and some of them he arranged
thanks to his stubbornness, created impression that his figure is
more or less acceptable in the tops.
The second factor of Hovhannisian's success is the long discontenting
Gyumri. Armenia's second largest city fully destroyed as a result of
devastating earthquake in 1988 has not cured its wounds till now.
There are a number of unsolved issues in Gyumri that has formed
critical attitude of its residents toward the authorities. The
Armenian opposition has always relied on Gyumri residents more than
the residents of any other community. This time the local residents
decided not to disperse votes. In Gyumri Raffi Hovhannisian received
more votes than Serzh Sargsyan did.
The third factor of success is the 'modern technologies'. Activists
of Heritage party made a great use of social networks calling on to
vote for Hovhannisian.
The Russian paper also says that the Armenian authorities as well
must be happy with Hovahnnisian's such a good result. Who will now
say that the elections lacked competitiveness?
"All the participants of the campaign, besides the winner, as it is
usually being done in the post-soviet territory, named the results
announced by the CEC falsified, claiming additional 15-20% votes. But
it is just a play for public. Serzh Sargsyan will serve his second
term," the paper says.
"The Armenian authorities face a complicated issue - prepare a strong
candidate for the next elections. The situation shows that in five
years Raffi Hovhannisian may be the favorite. Until the next elections
he may successfully raise a political capital. Armenia faces a lot
of issues and the authorities should exert enough efforts for their
solution. In the opposite case the current state of affairs in Gyumri
may spread throughout the whole country. Russia will more probably
have to exert efforts in Armenia's direction. If of course, because
of some reasons it won't like the reinforcement of US positions in
the South Caucasus. Raffi Hovhannisian, of course cannot be called
Washington's protege but the fact that his second citizenship is
American, says something," the Russian paper stresses.
From: A. Papazian
TERT.AM
12:25 ~U 20.02.13
Russian Nezovisimaya Gazeta newspaper referred to the presidential
elections held in Armenia and the developments that followed the polls.
"Armenia's Central Election Commission has presented the results
of the Monday presidential polls in Armenia. Like it was expected
the winner became the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan polling a
little less than 60%. But the unexpected outcome was the number of
votes former foreign minister of the country, Heritage party leader
Raffi Hovhannisian has got polling more than 36%. It means that a
new opposition force has appeared in Armenia and its leader seems to
be able to seriously challenge the ruling authorities," the Russian
paper writes.
The paper says Raffi Hovhannisian was expected to be the 2 but not
to register such a result. "During the previous presidential poll
when the tension was much higher and the situation unpredictable,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was the second too, received less than 25%
of votes, according to Armenia's CEC," the paper says, explaining
Hovhannisian's success with three factors.
First, his election campaign was more mobile and more available for
electorate, brighter and humane as the Heritage party's leader was
speaking with people about common things, on common language, avoiding
demonstration of aggression toward the authorities. His meetings with
the heads of regional administrations, and some of them he arranged
thanks to his stubbornness, created impression that his figure is
more or less acceptable in the tops.
The second factor of Hovhannisian's success is the long discontenting
Gyumri. Armenia's second largest city fully destroyed as a result of
devastating earthquake in 1988 has not cured its wounds till now.
There are a number of unsolved issues in Gyumri that has formed
critical attitude of its residents toward the authorities. The
Armenian opposition has always relied on Gyumri residents more than
the residents of any other community. This time the local residents
decided not to disperse votes. In Gyumri Raffi Hovhannisian received
more votes than Serzh Sargsyan did.
The third factor of success is the 'modern technologies'. Activists
of Heritage party made a great use of social networks calling on to
vote for Hovhannisian.
The Russian paper also says that the Armenian authorities as well
must be happy with Hovahnnisian's such a good result. Who will now
say that the elections lacked competitiveness?
"All the participants of the campaign, besides the winner, as it is
usually being done in the post-soviet territory, named the results
announced by the CEC falsified, claiming additional 15-20% votes. But
it is just a play for public. Serzh Sargsyan will serve his second
term," the paper says.
"The Armenian authorities face a complicated issue - prepare a strong
candidate for the next elections. The situation shows that in five
years Raffi Hovhannisian may be the favorite. Until the next elections
he may successfully raise a political capital. Armenia faces a lot
of issues and the authorities should exert enough efforts for their
solution. In the opposite case the current state of affairs in Gyumri
may spread throughout the whole country. Russia will more probably
have to exert efforts in Armenia's direction. If of course, because
of some reasons it won't like the reinforcement of US positions in
the South Caucasus. Raffi Hovhannisian, of course cannot be called
Washington's protege but the fact that his second citizenship is
American, says something," the Russian paper stresses.
From: A. Papazian