Lragir, Armenia
Jan 28 2008

RESPONSIBILITY OF SLANDERERS

In a meeting at the Center community of Yerevan on January 27 the
presidential candidate Serge Sargsyan stated that those who are busy
with slander during the campaign are not responded to because the
government does not want to kindle mutual accusations but they will
hold a fair election and all the slanderers will be made responsible.
Serge Sargsyan said so, noting that by saying responsibility he does
not mean sending slanderers to prison.

On January 28 another presidential candidate Vazgen Manukyan, who was
hosted at the Pastark Press Club, was asked to comment on Serge
Sargsyan’s statement about responsibility of slanderers as an
opposition activist and a presidential candidate, and was asked
whether he thinks it is a hint at post-election repressions.

`There has always been repression in Armenia, and repression has
never been consistent, however, there have always been repressive
elements. You see, when people think of how to get used rather than
how to change, no repression is needed. People may get used
gradually, and no necessity will arise. Elections were held in the
Soviet Union. What of it? The elections were falsified,’ Vazgen
Manukyan asks. According to him, everyone cast into the ballot box
what was necessary. `If it goes on like this, we will gradually
become a country where elections mean nothing to people.
Unfortunately, we are now on this track, but I am sure nobody will
let me take this track. Simply we are living in a complicated region,
we have such complicated issues that sooner or later we must be more
careful and serious,’ Vazgen Manukyan says.