TSARUKIAN ALLY TO SUE GOVERNMENT-BACKED RIVAL
By Ruzanna Khachatrian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
April 25 2007

The election candidate of Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party
(BHK) in a constituency in the southeastern Vayots Dzor region demanded
on Wednesday that his main rival representing the governing Republican
Party (HHK) be disqualified from the race.

The candidate, Sergey Bagratian, claimed that Samvel Sargsian, Vayots
Dzor’s Republican governor running for parliament, is campaigning
during work hours and using state symbols in violation of Armenia’s
election law. He also accused Sargsian of forcing local government
employees to campaign for his victory in the election. He said this
is sufficient grounds for removing the HHK-backed from the ballot.

Bagratian’s demand for his rival’s disqualification from the campaign
was rejected by the district election commission as unfounded
last week, however. Only one of the commission’s nine members, who
represents the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, found it justified.

Bagratian said he will take his case to a local court. Speaking at
a news conference in Yerevan, he showed a campaign poster in which
his rival is pictured against the backdrop of the Armenian flag.

Armenia’s election code bans election candidates from using the flag,
the national emblem or any other state symbol in their campaigns.

The BHK candidate himself is facing accusations of unfair play voiced
by the Republicans. They say, in particular, that he is handing out
vote bribes to Vayots Dzor residents.

Bagratian admitted distributing flour to local voters but denied
that this constitutes vote buying. "Flour was indeed distributed in
the region by all parties," he said. "As you know, it was presented
as charitable work. I don’t think people were asked to vote for a
particular candidate in return."

"I have repeatedly stated that that is benevolence and that nobody
has to vote for the force which distributes aid," he added.

The BHK has been dogged by allegations of vote buying since Tsarukian
began providing agricultural relief, free medical aid and other
public services to scores of people across the country last fall. The
tycoon and his aides claim that the aid is not connected with the
May 12 elections.

Bagratian also acknowledged that his son was placed under a criminal
investigation after assaulting tax officials in Vayots Dzor last
month. "Tax officials there were forcing people to vote for the
governor," he explained. "When you complain and your complaint is
ignored, you are forced to fight with folksy methods. We don’t like
those methods and have apologized to the people for the incident."

It is not clear whether tensions in the Vayots Dzor constituency
will contribute to a potential confrontation between the two top
election contenders, which is anticipated by some commentators. BHK
and HHK candidates are facing each other only in a handful of the 41
single-member electoral districts.