FEUDALS WILL BE ELECTED BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM

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[05:43 pm] 19 October, 2006

Vazgen Manukyan, leader of the National Democratic Union (NDU), claims
that both the authorities and the Opposition lack the features and
force to guide the nation.

"The point is that there is people have no confidence in the country’s
future well being. Elections will be held in Armenia but people don’t
believe they will be just and fair," announced Vazgen Manukyan in club
"Pastark." He says that "corruption, criminal and illegality reign
in the country."

"I think this is an interval after different groupings. How can
we speak of perfect future, if there is no collision between the
authorities and the Opposition?" says Mr. Manukyan.

While speaking of the newly formed "Alternative" social-political
organization, Vazgen Margaryan noted that the name of the structure
doesn’t suggest that it is really alternative. "At first they declare
that they are guided by the principles of the Armenian National
Movement introduced by me. Then they pass on to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
article written in 1997. This is inadmissible for me," says Vazgen
Manukyan and adds that we live in a different epoch and we must attach
new approaches to the old ideas.

As for the case of deputy Hakob Hakobyan, Mr. Manukyan says that it is
upon the court to decide whether he is guilty or innocent. Mr. Manukyan
sees criminal coloring in Hakobyan’s actions. "He is but a feudal.

If they say that this small feudal did 20-million USD harm to the
state, can you imagine the total harm done to the country?" says
Mr. Manukyan.

The NDU leader claims that the Opposition didn’t support the
deputy. They merely didn’t participate in bringing an action against
Hakob Hakobyan.

"The authorities chose Hakob Hakobyan as a scapegoat.

As the Opposition’s voice was not decisive, we stayed aside."

As for the 2007 elections, Mr. Manukyan mentioned that in comparison
with 1996 elections, candidates running for the parliament elections
will have to spend huge sums of money as "Armenia has turned into a
country of feudals where a few feudals struggle for the leadership
in the same constituency".