ARSHAK SADOYAN HAS TO FILL LACK OF BROADCAST HOURS BY "HARD WORK" BY VISITING VARIOUS POPULATED AREAS FOR MEETING WITH POPULATION

Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Under conditions of "bazaar" economy
instead of market economy in the country the electoral campaign
requires huge sums.

Arshak Sadoyan, RA MP, Chairman of Union of National Democrats Party,
taking the second place on the proportional list of the Democratic
Way Party, stated at the April 25 press conference. In his words,
due to paid broadcasts’ being expensive he has to do "hard physical
work" by visiting various populated areas of the country for meeting
the population.

According to S. Sadoyan’s calculations, a sum equal to 0.5-1 mln
dollars is needed for agitation campaign and current expenditures
connected with it.

Lack of such financial resources put the opposition in a very hard
situation.

And under conditions of great social polarization in the country,
in his words, one cannot expect to raise large sums from the public.

A. Sadoyan said that he has sent an open letter to U.S. State Secretary
Condoleezza Rice with the proposal to provide to the opposition part
of the sum to be given to Armenia for the purpose of contributing
to holding of free and fair elections, but has received no response
so far.

Nevertheless, A. Sadoyan gave assurance that the Democratic Way Party
will have 10-12% in the future parliament, as the politicians taking
the first three places on the party’s list have high rating.