Hayrikyan’s open letter surprises challenger

21:27 – 09.02.13

The proposal for rescheduling the election date has nothing to do with
the idea of a united presidential runner, a leading Armenian
opposition candidate has said. commenting on Paruyr Hayrikyan’s
earlier call for uniting over the idea.

`We discussed the possibility of that step, and even signed a joint
statement. But two days later you were shot. Expressing my solidarity
with you once again, I am hopeful everything will finally clear up and
smoothed over. For we can and must discuss the issue of a united
candidate; but that has nothing to do with your plan to apply to the
Constitutional Court,’ former prime minister and the leader of the
opposition Freedom party, Hrant Bagratyan has said, in response to
Hayrikyan’s open letter.

Hayrikyan, who is the leader of the National Self-Determination party,
published the open letter on Facebook overnight, asking two leading
opposition candidates, Bagratyan, and the Heritage party’s leader,
Raffi Hovhannisyan to unite over the idea of a single candidate.

The candidate was shot and wounded outside house last week in what is
idely believed to be an assassination attempt. He was subsequently
hospitalized but doctors reported no danger to his life. Hayrikyan had
to be operated on later for having a bullet removed from his shoulder.

The incident was widely condemned by both local politicians and
foreign political circles. It also sparked an increasing interest in
the candidate, pushing his electorate to take a firmer stand on voting
in his favor.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress