TIGRAN KARAPETYAN RETREATS BEFORE SERGE SARGSYAN

Lragir.am
24-08-2007 12:42:57

If someone states there is no alternative to Serge Sargsyan in the
presidential election, they do not respect the Armenian people, stated
the leader of the People’s Party of Armenia Tigran Karapetyan on August
24 at the Pastark club. He says Serge Sargsyan is heavy artillery
and will be the leading candidate in the presidential election, but
to say there is no alternative to him is lack of respect for people,
and they say so to flatter Serge Sargsyan, Tigran Karapetyan says.

"If there is no alternative to Serge Sargsyan, let’s not hold
an election and waste the money of taxpayers," says the head of
the ALM Holding and the People’s Party. He says he won’t have such
attitude towards people and depriving people of an alternative. Tigran
Karapetyan once again asserts that he will run in the presidential
election, "play the game." "I will be the people’s candidate," Tigran
Karapetyan says. In the presidential election he expects to get more
votes than "what had been offered on a tray in the parliamentary
election," the leader of the People’s Party says with sarcasm. He
declined to say what percent exactly he expects to get. In answer to
the question if he might retreat in the run-off election with Serge
Sargsyan Tigran Karapetyan says "no". "Do I look like a fool?" says
the leader of the People’s Party.

He also told reporters several scenarios of possible developments
in the presidential election, which he thinks are probable. First,
Serge Sargsyan and another candidate run in the second round who
is the least of all troubles and loses to Serge Sargsyan. The next
option is the artificial competition between the Republican Party
and Dashnaktsutyun. Third, the European candidate Arthur Baghdasaryan
may get a high percentage. Tigran Karapetyan says it is necessary for
Europe to rely on him. Karapetyan thinks Arthur Baghdasaryan will get
at least 10 percent. The next option, according to the head of the
ALM Holding and the leader of the People’s Party, is an opposition
candidate who denounces in a new, modern style, who will play down
Artashes Geghamyan and the others. Tigran Karapetyan mentions Aram
Karapetyan for this role, pointing to his relatively good result in
the parliamentary election.