ULP CALLS ON ITS MEMBERS TO BACK CANDIDACY OF SERGE SARGSIAN
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The majority of active members of the
United Labor Party (ULP) expressed their approval for the pre-election
program of the candidate for RA presidency, the prime minister Serge
Sargsian. Out of 199 delegates of the 4th congress of the ULP on
February 1 who took part in a secret vote, 124 voted for the program of
S. Sargsian, 5 – for the program of Artur Baghdasarian, 1 – Artashes
Geghamian, 0 – Tigran Karapetian, 1 – Aram Harutyunian, 2 – Vahan
Hovhannisian, 14 – Vazgen Manukian, 1 – Arman Melikian, 47 – Levon
Ter-Petrosian.
Taking the position of the majority into account, the ULP political
board instructed the heads of territorial structures to inform all
political parties about the vote results and called on the ULP members
to take an active part in the upcoming presidential elections and to
back the candidacy of Serge Sargsian.
The chairman of the ULP Gurgen Arsenian stated that no pressure was put
on the participants in the vote. In particular, one of the regional
structures, whose representatives did not attend the congress because
of bad weather, have sent the results of its vote, according to which
this structure will not back the candidacy of S. Sargsian. He assured
those present that members of their party are given freedom in giving
their votes for the candidate they prefer at the February 19 elections.
In response to the question about why the ULP, a party with a liberal
ideolody, endorses the candidate of a nationalist party, G. Arsenian
replied that the matter concerns support of the program of Serge
Sargsian rather than that of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). The
leader of the ULP added that by supporting S. Sargsian’s program, the
party also takes responsibility for its implementation.
G. Arsenian expressed his disagreement in connection with pressure put
on the owner of Sil Concern Khachatur Sukiasian. He said that in
applying pressure on businessmen for their oppositionist political
position, the authorities should take into account that this practive
may be adopted by future authorities.