ATMOSPHERE REMAINS STRAINED IN POST-ELECTORAL YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Feb 20, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan center, Marshal Baghramian
Avenue, Liberty Square often used for rallies, and the territory
near Matenadaran are guided by the special and internal troops
subdivisions of the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs since
February 20 morning. They are armed, there are also clubs and shields
in their cars. According to citizens, the public transport operation
has worsened in Armenia today, people call each other for being
careful. The participants of the first Armenian President Levon
Ter-Petrosian’s rally affirm that their candidate has won in the
first tour of the presidential elections and not has received 21%
votes, as CEC has officially declared it.

Still in January, during one of his press conferences, L. Ter-Petrosian
had stated: "If I see that the elections are rigged, realizing my
rights and knowing the laws well I will undertake steps proceeding from
the legislation, that is, will hold rallies, processions, pickets,
trials on falsifications will start, and so on." At the same time,
he had emphasized that he will exclude all kinds of illegal or
forcible actions.

Stating at the February 20 rally that he and his supporters have an
exact plan of achieving a complete victory, L. Ter-Petrosian assured
that no one cannot make them lose their steadiness. "We will go
in a very reserved way, calmly, confidently, without doubting our
final victory."

In the days preceding the elections Armenian President Robert Kocharian
had stated in his interview to four Armenian TV companies that "if
there are attempts to make disorders in the preelection period, the
state, the machinery of state with its whole force will make them
calm down, will act by the law, which gives them that right." "We
should strive for avoiding confrontations and I think we are able
to do that. The law enforcement system is powerful in Armenia,"
the President had said.

It should be mentioned that according to CEC Chairman Garegin Azarian,
the ballot-papers have been already worked out by 100% and Prime
Minister Serge Sargsian has received 52.86% votes, therefore, he won
in the first tour of the presidential elections. Levon Ter-Petrosian
is in the second place with 21.5% and OYP Chairman Artur Baghdasarian
in the third place with 16.66%.