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HERITAGE LEADER TO HEAD TO PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE IN CASE SARGSYAN FAILS TO GO TO LIBERTY SQUARE
TERT.AM
12:14 ~U 21.02.13
The leader of the opposition Heritage party says he will meet the
re-elected president in his office today in case the latter appears
unwilling to accept his offer for a meeting in Liberty Square.
"I cannot say whether or not he will come," Raffi Hovhannisyan told
Tert.am in the square on Thursday morning. "I expect them to come. If
they do not, I will go where I have to. If they are unwilling to
meet the people for a public speech, accepting people's victory and
handing over [power to the people] ..."
The final official voting results, unveiled by the Central Election
Commission on Tuesday, suggest that Hovhanisyan received 36.75%
of the total ballots cast (539.672 votes), placing the second after
President Serzh Sargsyan. But Hovhannisyan, who considers himself
the real winner, claims the voting was tainted by fraud.
The Heritage leader thinks third president would do much favor to
Armenia's future by agreeing to meet him.
Hovhannisyan, who spent the night in Liberty Square after his Thursday
rally, said in an evening speech that he will be waiting for Sargsyan
today to celebrate what he claims to be his victory. "We must meet them
tomorrow. We will not go away till we are a winner," the opposition
politician told the crowd.
Hovhannisyan, and others supporters who stayed with him overnight,
were caught in snow and rain on Thursday morning. The night saw no
incident in Liberty Square.
Later in the night - after the crowd had dispersed - a former
presidential candidate, Hrant Bagratyan, met the Heritage leader to
discuss the current situation with him.
Hovhannisyan says he has had very little rest over this period,
having spent just a few hours at home.
Responding to the remark that Heritage is a member of the European
People's Party (EPP), whose leader, Wilfried Martens, has already
congratulated Sargsyan on re-election, Hovhannisyan said he has made
a little haste like all the other officials who have managed to extend
their greetings to the president.
"He has made haste," Hovhannisyan said. "I am a condescending man. I
also err and apologize to them for my criticism, but he is mistaken
this time."
Commenting on the rally in Yerevan, Reuters said late on Thursday that
the event had gathered together 5,000 protesters. Asked to comment
on the reported figure, Hovhannisyan questioned its credibility,
noting that the square was too overcrowded for just 5,000 people. The
oppositionist added that their struggle is not just for quality,
but rather, for qualitative reforms.
TERT.AM
12:14 ~U 21.02.13
The leader of the opposition Heritage party says he will meet the
re-elected president in his office today in case the latter appears
unwilling to accept his offer for a meeting in Liberty Square.
"I cannot say whether or not he will come," Raffi Hovhannisyan told
Tert.am in the square on Thursday morning. "I expect them to come. If
they do not, I will go where I have to. If they are unwilling to
meet the people for a public speech, accepting people's victory and
handing over [power to the people] ..."
The final official voting results, unveiled by the Central Election
Commission on Tuesday, suggest that Hovhanisyan received 36.75%
of the total ballots cast (539.672 votes), placing the second after
President Serzh Sargsyan. But Hovhannisyan, who considers himself
the real winner, claims the voting was tainted by fraud.
The Heritage leader thinks third president would do much favor to
Armenia's future by agreeing to meet him.
Hovhannisyan, who spent the night in Liberty Square after his Thursday
rally, said in an evening speech that he will be waiting for Sargsyan
today to celebrate what he claims to be his victory. "We must meet them
tomorrow. We will not go away till we are a winner," the opposition
politician told the crowd.
Hovhannisyan, and others supporters who stayed with him overnight,
were caught in snow and rain on Thursday morning. The night saw no
incident in Liberty Square.
Later in the night - after the crowd had dispersed - a former
presidential candidate, Hrant Bagratyan, met the Heritage leader to
discuss the current situation with him.
Hovhannisyan says he has had very little rest over this period,
having spent just a few hours at home.
Responding to the remark that Heritage is a member of the European
People's Party (EPP), whose leader, Wilfried Martens, has already
congratulated Sargsyan on re-election, Hovhannisyan said he has made
a little haste like all the other officials who have managed to extend
their greetings to the president.
"He has made haste," Hovhannisyan said. "I am a condescending man. I
also err and apologize to them for my criticism, but he is mistaken
this time."
Commenting on the rally in Yerevan, Reuters said late on Thursday that
the event had gathered together 5,000 protesters. Asked to comment
on the reported figure, Hovhannisyan questioned its credibility,
noting that the square was too overcrowded for just 5,000 people. The
oppositionist added that their struggle is not just for quality,
but rather, for qualitative reforms.