EX-BOXING CHAMP APPEALS FOR HELP WITH CANDIDATE’S BOND
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Nov 29 2007
A former world boxing champion, who unsuccessfully ran for Armenia’s
parliament in May and is keen on contesting presidency in next year’s
election, has urged Armenian authorities to have respect for his
past sporting achievements and help him "trade" his medals for a
candidate’s bond.
The Visa and Passport Department has provided Israel Hakobkokhian,
47, with evidence of his 10-year citizenship and permanent residence
in Armenia required under Armenian law for a person to stand for
president. However, also according to the law, the nonpartisan
former boxer’s documents cannot be accepted by the Central Election
Commission until he pays a sum of 8 million drams (about $26,500)
as an election bond.
Hakobkokhian, who had successfully represented the Soviet Union in
amateur boxing competitions throughout the 1980s, said potential buyers
of his medals from world and European championships are interested
only in their gold content. Now he plans to pawn his entire collection
of medals "on bearable terms".
Meeting with journalists on Thursday, Hakobkokhian read out his appeal
to President Robert Kocharian, standing.
"Dear King of All Armenians Robert Kocharian. Please, assist me
in pawning all my medals that I earned with my blood and sweat at
the Central Bank, or any other bank," he declared pompously. "Your
assistance will be to ensure terms on which other states extend loans
to our country."
The would-be candidate said failing his election he was ready to
repay the sum within a year.
Last May Hakobkokhian stood as an independent candidate in a Yerevan
single-member constituency. Finishing a distant third in the race,
Hakobkokhian refused to concede his defeat and went on a hunger
strike, which he ended only after being visited by Prime Minister
Serzh Sarkisian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
