CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL: HAYRIKYAN’S WOUNDING CANNOT DESTABILIZE SITUATION IN ARMENIA

ARMINFO
Friday, February 1, 13:34

“I don’t think that the incident with wounding of candidate for
president of Armenia Paruyr Hayrikyan may seriously destabilize the
domestic situation in Armenia,” Nikolay Bordyuzha, CSTO Secretary
General said in the course of video bridge on Feb 1.

“We don’t think that it will change the situation in Armenia. I have
just returned from Yerevan and can state for sure that the election
campaign is very calm and within democratic standards. It very much
differs from the campaigns in other countries with its correctness. I
hope the campaign will be continued in the same way. Indeed, it is a
serious incident, especially on the threshold of elections.

Nevertheless, I would not qualify it as an assassination attempt.

Before qualifying the incident, it is necessary to reveal the details
and conduct relevant investigation. I am sure that the law-enforcement
agencies in Armenia will expose the crime and find the criminal very
quickly,” Bordyzha said.

The assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan, candidate for
president of Armenia, Leader of the Union for National
Self-Determination Party, was made in the Tpagrichnery Street in
Yerevan overnight. Hayrikyan was hospitalized with a gunshot wound in
shoulder. In compliance with the Constitution of Armenia,
presidential election is to be postponed for two weeks in case if a
candidate faces insurmountable obstacles.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan assessed the attempt against the
candidate for president Paruyr Hayrikyan as a blow on the authorities
and the statehood of Armenia.

Besides Hayrikyan, the presidential candidates are as follows:
incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan from the Republican Party and
former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan from the Liberty Party, Leader
of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian, Advisor for Political Issues of
the Refugees and the International Law Civil Society Network,
ex-foreign minister of NKR Arman Melikyan, Leader of National Accord
Party Aram Haroutiunyan, political expert Andrias Ghukasyan, and
specialist in epic Vardan Sedrakyan. The elections will be held on Feb
18 2013.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress