The Daily Star, Lebanon
May 6 2012

Armenia votes to tests fragile democracy

Afp, Yerevan
Armenians yesterday voted for a new parliament in the biggest test of
the ex-Soviet state’s fragile democratic credentials since disputed
presidential elections in 2008 ended in fatal clashes.

The elections are largely a straight fight between the governing
Republican party of President Serzh Sarkisian and its current
coalition partner led by the charismatic and super-rich former arm
wrestling champion Gagik Tsarukian.

Campaigning came to a chaotic finish on Friday when scores of
gas-filled balloons exploded at a Republican party rally in Yerevan
led by Sarkisian, unleashing a fireball into the air and injuring
almost 150 people.

From: Baghdasarian