HERITAGE WILL NOT PROPOSE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
armradio.am
06.12.2007 16:57
The Heritage Party’s Council today held a special sitting devoted
to the Armenian presidential elections scheduled for February 19,
2008. Opening the meeting, Heritage board member Vardan Khachatrian
spoke about the current political developments in the country.
The delegates then examined the question of supporting any other
presidential contender to be registered by the Central Election
Commission, but no consensus was reached. In this respect, Raffi
Hovannisian remarked: "I have stated on several occasions that the
office of the president is not an end in itself, and this creed is
shared by all of us. The nomination by Heritage of a presidential
candidate bears the objective of fulfilling our aspirations for the
nation and its state, the patriot and the citizen. Once again, we
have been deprived of that promise but, as a leading political force,
we have no right to sit on the sidelines. We must stand alongside our
citizens and, with the aim of ensuring for them the opportunity to make
a free and meaningful choice, we shall open before the people every
available avenue to familiarize themselves with the agendas, programs,
platforms, and qualifications of all nominees for the presidency."
Subsequently, the Heritage Party’s Council decided not to nominate
a candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections.
The Heritage Council also determined that the Heritage board should
hold talks and consultations before the presidential elections and,
once having carefully examined the merits, tenets, and platforms of
the candidates, reach judgment on behalf of the party.
In conclusion, Zoya Tadevosian, Heritage’s representative at the
Central Election Commission, called on those Council members who
also serve on local election commissions to stay impartial during
the upcoming elections and to remain devoted to the precepts of free,
fair, and transparent elections.
"Heritage is a front-line opposition party which must do its utmost,
in parliament and the election commissions alike, to prevent the
recurrence of election fraud," she said.