ACCORDING TO VAZGEN MANUKIAN, POPULAR MOVEMENT SHOULD DEVELOP IN
COUUNTRY TO ENSURE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Although 85% of the country’s
population is against the current authorities, the dejection of
people, pulverization of the opposition, and the legislative
amendments on electoral commissions give no chance to the opposition
to struggle for fair elections. In this sense, as Vazgen Manukian,
Chairman of the party "Union of National Democrates" (UND), member of
the RA National Assembly "Justice" faction, said at the February 9
briefing, the 2007 elections will be the most difficult compared with
the previous ones. V. Manukian expressed an opinion that it will be
possible to win the elections in case of existence of a popular
movement with the aim of changing the situation in the
country. Otherwise, it is impossible to ensure free and fair elections
just by technical means. According to UND chairman, in order to
intitiate a popular movement, the opposition should run for elections
not in separate parties but in 2-3 groups, one of them being their
leader.

He said that now negotiations around this issue are underway, and
results will be known by late February. He said with confidence that
among the opposition unions, one capable of leading the people will
form. V. Manukian noted that by speaking about free and fair
elections, the authorities hope to conceal riggings to be
committed. However, in his words, even if the authorities succeed in
deceiving foreign observers, the people will be able to see the
falsification.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress