CURRENTLY MOST IMPORTANT TASKS ARE ENSURING OF REAL PLURALITY AND GIVING COMPLETE POSSIBILITIES TO OPPOSITION, ARMEN RUSTAMIAN STATES

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "We call one side for not trying to
implement any program of forcibly changing the power in the country
and call the other side for respecting the views of the people, who
indeed have grounds and can be discontent with the results of the
elections for us not to name alien those discontent with the results,"
Armen Rustamian, a representative of the ARFD Armenian Supreme Body,
stated at the February 26 press conference.

According to him, today the most important task is ensuring of
plurality and freedom of expression. The second important task is
giving real possibilities to the opposition in the political system
for the opposition to be able to become an influential factor in
the issue of making political decisions in the country. "Unless
the opposition has it, it will always try to become a factor in the
street," A. Rustamian said.

He reaffirmed the ARFD’s readiness to carry out active mediation
efforts with the two sides and to find political ways out of the
strained home political situation. A. Rustamian said that ARFD has not
been idle so far and has immediately intervened to prevent bloodshed
even if up to present.

Vahan Hovhannisian, an ARFD Bureau member, who submitted an application
on resigning the post of the NA Vice-Speaker the day before, expressed
an opinion that there are verges of consent. In his words, on the
one hand, the authorities should admit their responsibility for the
repeatedly committed electoral violations. "On the other hand, the
opposition, which has taken to the streets today, should confess that
very many people having joined it today are the authors and designers
of these violations," V. Hovhannisian said. He also mentioned that
under the current conditions it becomes obvious that the approaches
of both sides are polarized and the authorities in their turn should
ask themselves: "what have they done that so many people have joined
Levon Ter-Petrosian?"

The speakers also gave some clarifications on the statement spread
by the Supreme Body the day before. They, in particular, said that
the main reason of their challenging the results of the elections is
the current electoral system. According to A. Rustamian, it does not
ensure correspondence of ballot-papers in ballot-boxes with the real
votes given by the voters.

Besides, the possibilities of complete prevention and control of
electoral falsifications by society, as well as by political forces
are too limited.

V. Hovhannisian said that the observations of ARFD members are
evidence that all-round bribes were given and "the three leading
presidential candidates distinguished themselves in that issue." The
former presidential candidate also stated that he is proud of 100
thousand people, who voted for him, as "on the one hand, they do not
dance in the squares in a state of drunkenness, they are not of that
kind, on the other hand, they do not take a cemetery wreath to the
house of one of the candidates and make hysteria."