Regnum, Russia
April 14 2006

Powerful Motherland Party: `Armenia has more powerful resource than
oil dollars’

`We are ready to cooperate with parties outside of the National
Assembly, and to take part in 2007 parliamentary elections being
united,’ leader of Democracy and Work Party Spartak Melikyan stated
at a press conference on April 14. According to him, the law On
Electing of Armenian National Assembly Deputies has to be changed. In
particular, Spartak Melikyan stressed, at 1999 elections 23% of votes
were not taken into consideration, as well as 27% in 2007, `because
in total exactly so many citizens voted for parties and blocs, which
did not overcome 5%-barrier, and , correspondingly did not receive NA
mandates.’ `In such a way, forces are now presented at parliament,
which do not represent interests of one third of Armenian
population,’ resumed the party head, suggesting decreasing of the
barrier up to 3%.

In its turn, Head of the Armenian United Communist Party (AUCP) Yuri
Manukyan excluded possibility of unification with other political
groups, motivating his position by fact, `at present, there is no
party in Armenia, except for AUCP, which strives for returning to
socialism.’ Deputy Head of Powerful Motherland Party Shirak Torosyan,
foreseeing `possible falsification of 2007 parliamentary elections,’
insisted on changing of the law’s norm on announcement election
results. According to him, the outcomes have to be known at midnight
of the election day, and not of the following day, as it is foreseen
now.

Finally, participants of the discussion agreed, state should not
`concentrate efforts,’ but `guarantee conducting of fair and
democratic elections.’ `We have not to fear oil dollars of
neighboring enemy, we have even more powerful resource – democratic
society,’ stressed the head of the Powerful Motherland.