ARMEN ASHOTIAN: GEORGIA’S ELECTIONS SHOWED THAT PRESIDENT CAN BE ELECTED IN FIRST TOUR RECEIVING A LITTLE MORE THAN 50% VOTES
Noyan Tapan
Jan 9, 2008
YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Armen Ashotian, a member of the Board
of the Republican Party of Armenia and the parliamentary faction of
the same name, considers normal that Armenia shows much interest in
the presidential elections held in neighboring Georgia. As he mentioned
at the January 9 press conference, that interest is conditioned by the
fact that a great number of Armenians live in Georgia, as well as that
country is the main window connecting Armenia with the foreign world.
Touching upon the positive evaluations given by international observers
to the elections held in Georgia, A. Ashotian said that they give a
possibility for three conclusions. "First, a President can be elected
in the very first tour, receiving a little more than 50% votes,
second, a non-correspondence of exit poll and data published by the
Central Electoral Commission is possible and third, it is a fact that
the internal conflicts did not become a basis for invalidating the
elections, " the MP said.
Touching upon the activity over two candidates for presidency, the
Prime Minister and the first President, in Armenian media, A. Ashotian
stated that this activity with regard to Prime Minister Serge Sargsian
is logical, as he is considered a favorite. And the scandal over
first President Levon Ter-Petrosisn, is artificial and is like, for
instance, the constant talks about famous Russian tennis player Anna
Kurnikova and TV announcer Ksenia Sobchak, which are conditioned by
not their professional qualities, but their absolutely other traits
(the latters are known for their scandalous behaviour: NT).