STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN AND SERGE SARGSYAN ARE INCOMPATIBLE

A1+
[05:25 pm] 13 November, 2006

Leader of the People’s Party Stepan Demirchyan treats the
announcement of the RA authorities about the 2007 Parliamentary
elections humorously. Let us remind you that the authorities claim
that the 2007 Parliamentary elections will be a step forward from all
the elections in Armenia. "The greatest problem is that the people
do not believe that Armenia can organize free and fair elections",
Demirchyan said in "Pastark" club today.

Nevertheless, Stepan Demirchyan underlined, "The 2007 Parliamentary
elections are important as the role of the Parliament has become more
important after the fabricated Constitutional referendum".

According to him, the situation would have been different if "A1+" were
given air and if at least one law-breaker were punished. "Punishing
one law-breaker will be more effective than the amendments to the
Electoral Code. The Electoral Code is not a sufficient precondition
for holding free and fair elections".

Mr. Demirchyan is sure that the authorities could have organized free
and fair elections even without the amendment to the electoral code,
in case of displaying enough political will. The leader of the People’s
Party claimed that any form of combat except bloodshed is acceptable
for them in order to free the country from the present authorities.

As for the statement of Garnik Margaryan, the head of the party
"Fatherland and Honor", that the oppositional parties which are going
to participate in plenary and not special elections, have had promises
from the authorities, Mr. Demirchyan said, "If we participate in
the plenary elections, it does not mean that we have had promises
from the authorities. I understand Mr. Margaryan and I share his
position that the situation in the country must be improved before
the elections. But it is a theoretical approach, and we do not have
much time to get ready for the elections."

Mr. Demirchyan informed that the People’s Party is ready to participate
in the elections alone, but he did not exclude the possibility of
creating alliances.

At present together with the "Orinats Yerkir" and the National Unity
the People’s Party is going to make a joint offer about the order of
formation of the Electoral Committees. "All the political powers must
be equally represented in the Electoral Committees".

The leader of the People’s party underlined that they are participating
in the elections in order to win.

The party is not going to bribe people. "During the previous elections
they distributed money and seeds to the people, but still the people
made their choice. We trust our people".

The journalists also tried to find out what can unite Demirchyan and
Serge Sargsyan for the sake of the bright future of Armenia. "Nothing
at all. Let the present authorities leave, for the sake of the bright
future of Armenia", Stepan Demirchyan said.