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THOUSANDS RALLY IN ARMENIA AGAINST PRESIDENT'S WIN
Global Post
Feb 20 2013
Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital
on Wednesday against President Serzh Sarkisian's victory in elections
seen as a crucial democratic test for the ex-Soviet state.
Some 5,000 supporters of the former foreign minister and Sarkisian's
top challenger in Monday's presidential polls, Raffi Hovannisian,
gathered in Yerevan's central Liberty square to demand the overturn
of the election results, an AFP correspondent said.
"We must return to our people its victory!" Hovannisian told the crowd,
insisting that he was the true winner.
"Those who are misappropriating the power must be brought before
justice."
Sarkisian won the elections with 58.64 percent of the votes against
Hovannisian's 36.75 percent, the central election commission said
"Hovannisian has won. He must become our president. Sarkisian must go,"
64-year-old pensioner Susanna told AFP.
"We want change in our country, Serzh (Sarkisian) cannot bring in
such change," said 58-year-old construction worker Vartan Babayan.
The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and
Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule hailed on Wednesday the democratic
progress Armenia demonstrated during the vote, but stressed that the
country needs to address shortcomings identified by international
monitors.
"We welcome further progress made by the Armenian authorities in
their efforts to hold these presidential elections in line with
international standards," the two said in a joint statement.
"We expect a number of outstanding concerns to be followed up
appropriately in the future," they added.
Observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said the election was
an improvement on past polls but lacked real competition after two
leading candidates pulled out late last year.
mkh-im/sjw/lc
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130220/thousands-rally-armenia-against-presidents-win
Global Post
Feb 20 2013
Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital
on Wednesday against President Serzh Sarkisian's victory in elections
seen as a crucial democratic test for the ex-Soviet state.
Some 5,000 supporters of the former foreign minister and Sarkisian's
top challenger in Monday's presidential polls, Raffi Hovannisian,
gathered in Yerevan's central Liberty square to demand the overturn
of the election results, an AFP correspondent said.
"We must return to our people its victory!" Hovannisian told the crowd,
insisting that he was the true winner.
"Those who are misappropriating the power must be brought before
justice."
Sarkisian won the elections with 58.64 percent of the votes against
Hovannisian's 36.75 percent, the central election commission said
"Hovannisian has won. He must become our president. Sarkisian must go,"
64-year-old pensioner Susanna told AFP.
"We want change in our country, Serzh (Sarkisian) cannot bring in
such change," said 58-year-old construction worker Vartan Babayan.
The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and
Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule hailed on Wednesday the democratic
progress Armenia demonstrated during the vote, but stressed that the
country needs to address shortcomings identified by international
monitors.
"We welcome further progress made by the Armenian authorities in
their efforts to hold these presidential elections in line with
international standards," the two said in a joint statement.
"We expect a number of outstanding concerns to be followed up
appropriately in the future," they added.
Observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said the election was
an improvement on past polls but lacked real competition after two
leading candidates pulled out late last year.
mkh-im/sjw/lc
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130220/thousands-rally-armenia-against-presidents-win