GOVERNING PARTY DOWNPLAYS RUMORS ABOUT EX-PRESIDENT’S NOMINATION
ARMENPRESS
Sep 5, 2007
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: A spokesman for the governing
Republican Party of Armenia said today the party will nominate prime
minister Serzh Sarkisian as a candidate for next year’s presidential
election.
Eduard Sharmazanov, the party’s spokesman, said to a news conference
that the party will field Sarkisian ‘because there is a public demand
for it."
He said the party has a clear-cut political platform, a skilled
team and Serzh Sarkisian as a seasoned leader, who enjoys a high
popularity. As evidence he cited the sweeping victory of the party
in the May 12 parliamentary elections.
"If the Republican Party received only 10-15 percent of the vote (in
the parliamentary elections) it would never think about nominating
its presidential candidate,’ Sharmazanov said, adding that the final
say belongs to the party’s congress, scheduled for late autumn.
Asked to comment on media speculations that ex-president Levon
Ter-Petrosian is contemplating a political comeback and may join
the presidential race, the Republican Parity’s spokesman said it
is meaningless to speak now about ‘the historical necessity of
Ter-Petrosian’s nomination,’ because ‘historical necessity emerges
when a country is experiencing a lingering crisis, which is not the
case with Armenia."
"Armenia has penetrated into the second stage of reforms and there
is no public demand, neither historical necessity for Ter-Petrosian’s
return,’ he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
