PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA TO BE HELD IN 2 ROUNDS, A POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

arminfo
2008-01-21 19:15:00

ArmInfo. The presidential election in Armenia will most likely be held
in two rounds, Head of the RA Union of Politicians Hmayak Hovhannisyan
said at a press-conference at Friday club, Monday.

This statement is proved not only by the fact that 9 candidates
announced their intention to run for president, but also by the
circumstance that some politicians who state their adherence to
the oppositional field are intending to deliver a blow on not
pro-governmental parties but oppositional ones, and this will also
affect the election returns. "I think you understand whom I mean. One
shouldn’t break head over it as if it is a question of a difficult
crossword", he said. Another factor which may influence the result of
the election is the protest electorate. It would be a mistake not to
take into account this electorate’s existence, Hovhannisyan said. "The
protesting electorate has not changed in the republic since 1995.

As the two round presidential election in 1998 and 2003 showed, this
electorate can make its voice heard", he said. At the same time,
Hovhannisyan admitted that Levon Ter-Petrosyan will have to do his
best to gain the affection of the protest electorate. But one can
say that a certain part of population forgave him conditionally. To
gain complete trust of the population, he should carry out all his
pre-electoral promises at least if he is elected", he said. However,
Hovhannisyan noted that he welcomes the Armenian ex-president’s
participation in the election whatever happens. "The emergence of
his figure in the political field became a kind of accelerator to
tighten the fight between the presidential candidates", he said.