"GREATEST MISTAKE OF FORMER AUTHORITIES IS THAT NO TRADITION OF DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS WAS FORMED IN COUNTRY," FORMER VICE SPEAKER BELIEVES

Noyan Tapan
Nov 28, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. It is necessary to unite the
opposition forces for the purpose of conducting control in electoral
stations in order to avoid falsifications in the 2008 presidential
elections. This statement was made by Arshak Sadoyan, the Chairman
of the Bloc of National Democrats, at the press conference held
on November 27. According to him, 10 thousand "strong people" are
necessary for conducting control over all the 1923 electoral stations
of the republic, whereas the Bloc of National Democrats can provide
only 200-300 people.

He called to all the candidates running for presidency for responding
to his suggestion on uniting resources for the purpose of conducting
control over elections by December 5. According to Arshak Sadoyan, all
those forces, which will not agree to take part in the struggle against
electoral falsifications, will, in fact, agree to "drawn" elections.

According to Karapet Rubinian, a member of the National Movement of
Armenia and the former Vice Speaker of the National Assembly, the
greatest mistake of the former authorities was that no tradition of
shifting power through democratic elections was established in the
country. However, making the control over elections the main problem,
the opposition is not likely to achieve success since even in case of
finding large-scale falsifications, it will be impossible to prove
that they have influenced the results of the elections. Karapet
Rubinian considers it a real problem to create a situation so as the
authorities do not dare to make false figures public. In this respect,
according to the speaker, the fact of the opposition coming up with
a common candidate would be of great significance.

In response to the questions of journalists, Karapet Rubinian
expressed conviction that there are all the preconditions for
revolution in Armenia, as most of society do not want to any longer
endure the current regime. The thing is that whether they will manage
to direct the potential of that dissatisfaction to the development of
democracy in Armenia. From this point of view, according to him, Levon
Ter-Petrosian, the first President of Armenia, enjoys the greatest
opportunities. Irrespective of the fact that there is little time
left before the presidential elections, the speaker does not exclude
the possibility of special elections. "If the people find enough
strength in themselves to resist and get rid of the criminal group,
everything will be decided before the elections," Karen Rubinian
expressed conviction.