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ELECTIONS BY THE BREZHNEV STYLE

[04:55 pm] 02 June, 2006

«It feels like not the year 2006 but 1976, the times of Brezhnev when
the elections were held with one candidate only», announced Viktor
Dallakyan, secretary of the Justice faction after the candidacies for
the posts of the heads of Committees were put forward.

Before that, as it was expected the, ARF faction put forward the
candidacy of Aramayis Grigoryan as head of the Standing Committee on
Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs. Grigoryan is an
independent deputy but has close connections with the ARF one of the
members of which is his brother, Arayik Grigoryan.

Independent deputy Hmayak Hovhannisyan put forward the candidacy of
OYP member Mher Shahgeldyan although Arthur Baghdasaryan had announced
previously that they will not participate in the elections. But Hmayak
Hovhannisyan insisted that Shahgeldyan has carried out efficient work
and must remain in office. But Shahgeldyan refused to accept the
nomination, and the elections continued with one candidate.

The United Labor Party put forward the candidacy of Mnatsakan
Petrosyan for the post of the head of the Standing Committee on Social
Affairs, Health Care and Environment. He was the deputy head of the
Committee.

Both candidates were elected head of the Committees.