HEGHINE BISHARIAN IS SURE THAT ARTHUR BAGHDASARIAN WILL REACH SECOND STAGE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 14, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Orinats Yerkir (Country of
Law) Party considers the holding of the second stage inevitable, as
well as believes that the solution of the issue on the unification
of the opposition political forces is possible only in the second
stage. This statement was made by Heghine Bisharian, an MP of the
National Assembly and the leader of the pre-electoral headquarters
of Arthur Baghdasarian, a candidate running for the post of the RA
President, at the press conference, which was held on February 14.

In her words, the Orinats Yerkir Party has no doubts in the victory
of Baghdasarian in the first stage and in his reaching the second
one. In particular, the results of numerous surveys the Orinats Yerkir
possesses and the day by day rising rating of the leader of the party
speak about this.

She expressed her bewilderment with the fact that the mass media
under the control of Levon Ter-Petrosian and, first of all, newspaper
Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Time), in essence, are blackmailing
the politicians, including Baghdasarian, who have not joined Levon
Ter-Petrosian. She rejected the variant of the existing agreement
between Arthur Baghdasarian and Serge Sargsian. In the words of
Bisharian, on the contrary, Levon Ter-Petrosian is more likely to have
an agreement with Serge Sargsian on the destruction of the opposition
political field. According to the agreement, the mass media under the
control of Levon Ter-Petrosian by "slinging mud" at the opposition
candidates "are playing in the hands of Serge Sargsian."

At the same time, Bisharian affirmed that between the two candidates
for presidency: Levon Ter-Petrosian and Arthur Baghdasarian, there
are negotiations about the unification. In her words, they have not
spoken and are not speaking about the fact who will join whom. In this
respect, she advised Levon Ter-Petrosian to join Arthur Baghdasarian,
who has a high rating and popularity. As regards the previsions
on which of the candidates will reach the second stage with Arthur
Baghdasarian, the Head of the pre-electoral headquarters mentioned
that it can be Serge Sargsian as much as Levon Ter-Petrosian.