ROBERT KOCHARYAN: I’VE TRIED NOT TO CRITICIZE LEVON TER-PETROSYAN FOR OVER 10 YEARS OF MY PRESIDENCY, NOW I WILL HAVE TO REMIND HIM MUCH

ArmInfo, Armenia
Sept 25 2007

ArmInfo. ‘Over the ten yeas of my presidency I have tried not to lever
any criticism at Levon Ter-Petrosyan, but now I will have to remind
him much,’ President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan told journalists when
commenting on September 21 statement by ex-president L. Ter-Petrosyan.

In the above statement, the ex-president, particularly, called the
administration corrupted and criminal. The ex-president is still
thinking over all the positive and negative circumstances for running
for president. He said the sentiments in the political arena have
changed but not reached the necessary level so far.

In response, Robert Kocharyan told journalists that the present high
economic rates would be impossible if Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s statements
were right. He said that when he arrived in Armenia and took his post
of prime minister he inherited a $300 million state budget and $40
million deficit. "Now, the budget for 2008 will total $2.5 billion. In
order not to see all these successes, one should have been living in
very deep reclusion, " Robert Kocharyan said.

If the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan participates
in the presidential campaign in 2008, he will become an ordinary
oppositionist with all its circumstances, he said.