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DECISION 2013: OPPOSITION LEADER REJECTS FINAL ELECTION RESULTS, SET TO CONTINUE BAREVOLUTION CAMPAIGN
VOTE 2013 | 25.02.13 | 21:24
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian has rejected the final results of
the February 18 presidential election published on Monday to certify
that President Serzh Sargsyan's has been reelected with more than 58
percent of the vote.
Hovannisian, who according to the Central Election Commission (CEC),
polled nearly 37 percent of the vote, believes victory has been stolen
from him. He has held public rallies in recent days to press Sargsyan
to accept "the victory of the people" and step down.
Enlarge Photo
"CEC members must be brought to responsibility in the strictest way
for their clearly unlawful and antidemocratic behavior. Possessing
the entire information, they have done nothing, and, therefore, they
must bear responsibility for that," emphasized Hovannisian at a press
conference held shortly after the announcement by the election body.
Hovannisian did not exclude that he would appeal the final election
outcome at the Constitutional Court to where he is eligible to apply
until March 2.
The opposition leader said he was also angered by ruling Republican
Party spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov's warning that if he, Hovannisian,
"continues like them" they will have to publish details of his
conversation with President Sargsyan that took place last Thursday.
"Shame on those who are trying to threaten me with publishing some
recordings. I am demanding now, let them publish this video in full,"
said Hovannisian, banging his fist on the table. He demanded that
the state authorities also publish recordings of all riggings and
violations during the past elections.
Presenting certain details of the conversation, Hovannisian said that
he was offered to fight for a political majority and presidency in
2017-18, which he said he rejected.
"It was a very friendly meeting held in an atmosphere of mutual
respect, I told Sargsyan that he did not win, but that he also had a
great contribution to the Artsakh (Karabakh) war, and I told him that
he drank a champagne a little too soon," said Hovannisian, repeating
that all of his offers of compromise, including the possibility of
holding a repeat presidential election or snap parliamentary elections
based solely on a party representation principle, had been rejected by
Sargsyan and that neither he nor the president came up with proposals
regarding political posts.
The opposition leader also said that he will resume his visits to
the regions tomorrow "to say hello to the people and express his
gratitude to them for their being masters of their rights."
Last week Hovannisian announced the launch of a peaceful campaign
that he termed BAREVolution, a blend Armenian/English word meaning
the revolution of greetings, which is takeoff on the opposition
candidate's campaigning methods, as he spent the campaign walking
door-to-door to businesses and greeting people in the streets.
From: Baghdasarian
VOTE 2013 | 25.02.13 | 21:24
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian has rejected the final results of
the February 18 presidential election published on Monday to certify
that President Serzh Sargsyan's has been reelected with more than 58
percent of the vote.
Hovannisian, who according to the Central Election Commission (CEC),
polled nearly 37 percent of the vote, believes victory has been stolen
from him. He has held public rallies in recent days to press Sargsyan
to accept "the victory of the people" and step down.
Enlarge Photo
"CEC members must be brought to responsibility in the strictest way
for their clearly unlawful and antidemocratic behavior. Possessing
the entire information, they have done nothing, and, therefore, they
must bear responsibility for that," emphasized Hovannisian at a press
conference held shortly after the announcement by the election body.
Hovannisian did not exclude that he would appeal the final election
outcome at the Constitutional Court to where he is eligible to apply
until March 2.
The opposition leader said he was also angered by ruling Republican
Party spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov's warning that if he, Hovannisian,
"continues like them" they will have to publish details of his
conversation with President Sargsyan that took place last Thursday.
"Shame on those who are trying to threaten me with publishing some
recordings. I am demanding now, let them publish this video in full,"
said Hovannisian, banging his fist on the table. He demanded that
the state authorities also publish recordings of all riggings and
violations during the past elections.
Presenting certain details of the conversation, Hovannisian said that
he was offered to fight for a political majority and presidency in
2017-18, which he said he rejected.
"It was a very friendly meeting held in an atmosphere of mutual
respect, I told Sargsyan that he did not win, but that he also had a
great contribution to the Artsakh (Karabakh) war, and I told him that
he drank a champagne a little too soon," said Hovannisian, repeating
that all of his offers of compromise, including the possibility of
holding a repeat presidential election or snap parliamentary elections
based solely on a party representation principle, had been rejected by
Sargsyan and that neither he nor the president came up with proposals
regarding political posts.
The opposition leader also said that he will resume his visits to
the regions tomorrow "to say hello to the people and express his
gratitude to them for their being masters of their rights."
Last week Hovannisian announced the launch of a peaceful campaign
that he termed BAREVolution, a blend Armenian/English word meaning
the revolution of greetings, which is takeoff on the opposition
candidate's campaigning methods, as he spent the campaign walking
door-to-door to businesses and greeting people in the streets.
From: Baghdasarian