STEPAN DEMIRCHIAN EVALUATES TER-PETROSIAN’S CHANCES OF WINNING ELECTIONS AS VERY GOOD
Noyan Tapan
Dec 19, 2007
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The main intrigue of the forthcoming
elections in Armenia is first Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosian’s
participation in them, which the authorities had not expected. Stepan
Demirchian, the Chairman of the People’s Party of Armenia, stated
at the December 19 press conference. He said that first President’s
appearance in the political sphere considerably changed the atmosphere
formed in the country.
According to S. Demirchian, two main poles of political forces have
been formed on the eve of the elections, and the main struggle in
the elections will proceed between Prime Minister Serge Sargsian
and Ter-Petrosian. S. Demirchian evaluated the latter’s chances of
winning the elections as very good. The PPA leader did not exclude
that soon other political forces may also join parties supporting
the first President. At the same time, S. Demirchian said that the
possibilities of the authorities, in particular, the administrative
resource, should not be underestimated.
As regards the possible influence of the foreign factor on the
forthcoming presidential elections, S. Demirchian noted that
all problems are solved inside the country and called for not
overestimating the influence of the foreign factor. He also excluded
the possibility of complication of Armenian-Russian relations in case
L. Ter-Petrosian returns to power, as in the period of his presidency
these relations were at a very high level and it is obvious that
these relations will not suffer if he is elected.