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LOSER OF ARMENIA POLLS EXTENDS HUNGER STRIKE
Agence France Presse
March 21, 2013 Thursday 2:04 PM GMT
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's top challenger in last month's
election vowed Thursday to continue his 11-day hunger strike until
the ex-Soviet state's leader renounces his win in a vote he claims
was rigged.
Raffi Hovannisian urged Sarkisian, due to be inaugurated on April 9,
not to take "a false oath."
"Only over my dead body can he lay his hand on the constitution and
the Bible."
Sarkisian "must reject office on April 9 or put forward an adequate
solution of the political crisis," Hovannisian told journalists.
Sarkisian won February 18 polls with 58.64 percent of the votes
against Hovannisian's 36.75 percent of votes.
But Hovannisian claimed that the result was rigged and that he was
the true winner.
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.
Armenia's Central Elections Commission said the vote was free of
serious violations.
Agence France Presse
March 21, 2013 Thursday 2:04 PM GMT
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's top challenger in last month's
election vowed Thursday to continue his 11-day hunger strike until
the ex-Soviet state's leader renounces his win in a vote he claims
was rigged.
Raffi Hovannisian urged Sarkisian, due to be inaugurated on April 9,
not to take "a false oath."
"Only over my dead body can he lay his hand on the constitution and
the Bible."
Sarkisian "must reject office on April 9 or put forward an adequate
solution of the political crisis," Hovannisian told journalists.
Sarkisian won February 18 polls with 58.64 percent of the votes
against Hovannisian's 36.75 percent of votes.
But Hovannisian claimed that the result was rigged and that he was
the true winner.
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.
Armenia's Central Elections Commission said the vote was free of
serious violations.