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DECISION 2013: ANALYST SAYS CURRENT CRISIS PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR AUTHORITIES AS WELL AS OPPOSITION
VOTE 2013 | 05.03.13 | 16:05
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
American-Armenian political analyst Richard Giragosian says this
period of political standoff following the February18 presidential
elections is a "crisis of trust" not only concerning the authorities,
but the opposition as well.
Giragosian, director of Regional Studies Center, presenting research
results of both the pre-election and post-election periods, told the
press on Tuesday that these elections have been the most uncompetitive
in Armenia's modern history with the election result being clearly
predetermined.
According to him the elections should have been freer and fairer,
and in great part this can be viewed as a lost opportunity for
Armenia, because "with each passing day since Armenia's February 18
presidential election, credible reports and evidence of electoral
fraud have mounted".
"The true challenge was hidden in the absolute lack of public trust
towards the elections. The standoff now is not related merely to
the elections, it is a deeper discontent and some part of (Raffi)
Hovannisian's a 36+ percent votes is not Hovannisian's, but rather
the result of deep-rooted discontent with incumbent president (Serzh)
Sargsyan," he said.
Reflecting on the current situation, Giragosian said both the
opposition and the authorities are facing challenges.
"The challenges of the opposition are: consolidating the momentum
and not losing the initiative; presenting a clear-cut strategy and
distinct objectives and goals," said the analyst, adding that the
authorities are causing more self-damage by showcasing on TV such
"used figures" as Artashes Geghamyan, Hayk Babukhanyan, or pop-singer,
now MP Shushan Petrosyan, as advocates of their interests.
Giragosian says Hovannisian has come forth as the new "agent of
change", forcing the closed political system to open, but that
the opposition, equally as the authorities, are facing the need
to introduce a clear strategy and both have the same enemy - the
oligarchs.
VOTE 2013 | 05.03.13 | 16:05
Photolure
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
American-Armenian political analyst Richard Giragosian says this
period of political standoff following the February18 presidential
elections is a "crisis of trust" not only concerning the authorities,
but the opposition as well.
Giragosian, director of Regional Studies Center, presenting research
results of both the pre-election and post-election periods, told the
press on Tuesday that these elections have been the most uncompetitive
in Armenia's modern history with the election result being clearly
predetermined.
According to him the elections should have been freer and fairer,
and in great part this can be viewed as a lost opportunity for
Armenia, because "with each passing day since Armenia's February 18
presidential election, credible reports and evidence of electoral
fraud have mounted".
"The true challenge was hidden in the absolute lack of public trust
towards the elections. The standoff now is not related merely to
the elections, it is a deeper discontent and some part of (Raffi)
Hovannisian's a 36+ percent votes is not Hovannisian's, but rather
the result of deep-rooted discontent with incumbent president (Serzh)
Sargsyan," he said.
Reflecting on the current situation, Giragosian said both the
opposition and the authorities are facing challenges.
"The challenges of the opposition are: consolidating the momentum
and not losing the initiative; presenting a clear-cut strategy and
distinct objectives and goals," said the analyst, adding that the
authorities are causing more self-damage by showcasing on TV such
"used figures" as Artashes Geghamyan, Hayk Babukhanyan, or pop-singer,
now MP Shushan Petrosyan, as advocates of their interests.
Giragosian says Hovannisian has come forth as the new "agent of
change", forcing the closed political system to open, but that
the opposition, equally as the authorities, are facing the need
to introduce a clear strategy and both have the same enemy - the
oligarchs.