THEY HIT THE TARGET – EVERYONE’S DISCUSSING DASHINK

KarabakhOpen
29-03-2007 18:33:45

The leader of the Dashink Party Samvel Babayan will not run in the
Armenian parliamentary election from electoral district 37.

"The election campaign in Armenia has become a means of settling
personal problems. There is no clash of ideas. The government uses
its administrative, financial resources for pressure all over the
country, including in the electoral district 37 in Goris. Evidence
to this is the illegal action against the leader of the National
Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan," said Gnel Galechyan, a member of
the political council of the Dashink Party explaining the withdrawal
of Samvel Babayan’s candidacy.

In electoral district 37 in Goris the Dashink Party will support
Samvel Harutiunyan running for parliament on the ticket of the Heritage
Party. "A few days ago Harutiunyan called on Babayan asking to support
him." According to Gnel Glechyan, Samvel Babayan accepted this proposal
to put an end to rumors that in electoral district 37 there is no clash
of ideologies but a clash between Samvel Babayan and Serge Sargsyan.

Despite the explanations, the politicians are guessing at the
refusal of Samvel Babayan to run for parliament. In addition, many
say it happened after the death of Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
and rumors came that the position of the minister of defense Serge
Sargsyan is becoming stronger. Samvel Babayan is said to have been
"warned" that he will lose the election. Others say he made a deal
with someone. At any rate, they hit the target – Samvel Babayan is
the focus of national debates, which is already a PR advantage for
a political figure.

In the upcoming Armenian election the traditional ways of campaign,
even electoral fraud will turn to be not so effective. There are too
many forces which have similar political "assessed contribution". And
in order to stand out they need to produce shock. People often vote
on the basis of popularity rather than ideology of one candidate or
another. The same as in shops where people buy a product because it
is advertised and not because it is high quality.

Two more sessions of "shock therapy" and the party of Samvel Babayan
will defeat some more ideologized parties.