Decision 2013: Arf, Anc Slam Feb. 18 Election, Stop Short Of Explici

DECISION 2013: ARF, ANC SLAM FEB. 18 ELECTION, STOP SHORT OF EXPLICITLY SUPPORTING HOVANNISIAN

VOTE 2013 | 20.02.13 | 14:42

Two major opposition forces that did not participate in this year’s
presidential election issued critical statements on their course and
results, but stopped short of explicitly declaring their support for
opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian, who is challenging the official
outcome giving incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan a first-round
victory.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) said that
“the citizens of Armenia proved on February 18 that their patience
has limits.”

“The outburst of the people was the response to the current state
of affairs in the country. It was a response to the government’s
self-satisfied behavior pretending that they have the support of
the absolute majority of the society. It became apparent that the
majority of the Armenian people do not accept the current system,”
stressed Dashnaktsutyun.

At the same time, the traditional Armenian political parties with
links in the Diaspora warned that the post-election situation and
possible developments require “enormous responsibility and complex
solutions from the current government, the main challenging candidate,
the opposition forces and active part of society.”

“Dashnaktsutyun is next to the people and is for finding solutions
through combined efforts,” the party concluded.

Another opposition group, Armenian National Congress (ANC), which
did not contest the latest presidential election, also slammed
President Sargsyan and his “regime” for what it described as a
fraudulent election. It said that the current authorities will never
give up the practice of using falsifications to rig elections until
it is confronted by “the united will of the people” and until the
international community gives an “adequate” evaluation to this fraud.

In its statement the ANC also reminds of similar post-election claims
of its candidate, ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, five years ago
and the crackdown of the opposition in the wake of nonstop protests
in February 2008.

Addressing his supporters in Yerevan’s Liberty Square last night
Heritage Party leader Hovannisian, who declared himself to be the
rightful winner and elected president, made it clear that if given
a chance to form a government he would also cooperate with the
broad-based opposition, including both the ARF and ANC.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress