GOVERNING PARTY MEMBER PREDICTS OUTRIGHT VICTORY FOR PRIME MINISTER IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

ARMENPRESS
Oct 05 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS: A parliament member from the governing
Republican Party has downplayed speculations and media stories arguing
that prime minister Serzh Sarkisian will not be able to win an outright
and sweeping victory in the 2008 presidential election.

The MP, Mkrtich Minasian, said today to a news conference that Serzh
Sarkisian’s regular visits to Armenian regions are not an element of
a populist campaign, but a desire to get to know the real problems
of the people which is key to deciding a strategy for their solution.

He rebuked mass media for ‘exaggerations’ when it comes to covering
the activity of his Republican Party, but agreed that it is natural,
because every political force, prior to the start of the official
campaigning, is trying to convey its ideas and platform to people to
win their support.

Asked to comment on developments surrounding ex-president Levon
Ter-Petrosian, Mkrtich Minasian first commended him as ‘a prudent
and seasoned politician," and then disagreed with Ter-Petrosian’s
assessment of the situation in the country, which the ex-president
gave in his recent September 21 speech.

Mkrtich Minasian said Ter-Petrosian could have provided a more balanced
and real description.

Mkrtich Minasian then declined speculations that the government’s
decision to raise old-age pensions, social allowances next year and
prime minister’s pledge to raise the budget to $2.5 billion have
sparked a wave of food price hikes, saying price hikes are occurring
now worldwide.