Parliamentary elections in Armenia to be held in situation “close to martial”

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“Elections to Armenia’s National Assembly in 2007 will be held in a situation close to martial,” Chairman of the oppositional Constitutional Law Union, Grant Khachatryan, has announced at a news conference on August 22. According to him, during the fighting for parliamentary seats the opposition should come forwards as a united group in controlling the election process. “The opposition should be a united group to let the elections come fairly and without fraud,” Khachatryan is quoted as saying.

As for ideological positions, the party leader believes that from this point of view it would be a mistake to step forth by a single party ticket. “Several opposition blocs should be presented at the elections united with a single idea,” he noted. However, as Grant Khachatryan put it, contrary to the authorities that are “represented in the country by two faces” the opposition has not made public its message. “Preparation work is being held in the opposition now. Numbers of party members are being confirmed, possible unions are considered,” he notes adding that “the opposition nowadays is sending its whole energy towards residents of Armenia’s provinces and communities.” “We have been carrying out local congresses in the provinces, electing party officials,” Khachatryan says.

“The two faces” of the Armenian power, according to Khachatryan, differ completely fro one another. “The first face is a forceful one, it is notorious in the press and public discussions for its criminal ties; the other one is a nice and friendly face, as if it is presenting a claim to improve the situation in the republic, but it is nothing but a semblance,” the opposition leader believes.

It is worth mentioning, the ruling coalition in Armenia is presented by two parties, Dashnaktsutiun Revolutionary Federation and Armenia’s Republican Party. The prime minister’s position belongs to the Republicans. In mid-September, the Constitutional Law Union intends to hold a party congress.