ARMAN MELIKYAN IS READY TO DISPUTE WITH THREE POLITICAL POWERS

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05 February, 2008

If the RA Human Rights Defender decides that will not enter the RA
Constitutional Court by the RA presidential elections, then as the
presidential candidate Arman Melikyan says, he has got extra chances
to dispute the issue regarding the legality of elections, since their
results are already known.

It should be reminded that the candidate had appealed to the
Constitutional Court to reinstate the electoral rights of the RA
citizens who were in abroad. On 2 February the Constitutional Court
refused to accept his appeal.

Melikyan says that he will turn to the Ombudsman to ask him to appeal
to the Constitutional Court with the same claim.

"I will urge him to protect the fundamental rights of the RA citizens,
purposing the CC to discuss the amendments to the RA "Electoral Code"
adopted last year", said Arman Melikyan. According to him, about 25
percent of the RA citizens are in abroad, as well as 200 RA diplomats,
including ambassadors.

"Being afraid to give the Armenian Diaspora the right to vote, they
deprived our citizens of that right.

What if they arrive in Armenia on the day of elections, vote and
return where they have arrived from. They are mocking at people",
says Mr Melikyan, adding that he was not willing to brisk up the
political field and give grounds for speculations.

Arman Melikyan stated that he was ready to debate with three political
powers – the "Armenian National Movement", the "Republican Party of
Armenia" and the "Armenian Revolutionary Federation- Dashnaktsutyun".

They have better ideas on the present and the past of the country,
as well as on the future prosperity.

"Another question is whether I agree with them or not.

Even more, I do not consider that their ideas are close to mine. But I
think that the main fight will be between the mentioned three powers",
pointed out Arman Melikyan.