ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 8 2008

Armenian court refuses to invalidate results of presidential election

08.03.2008, 19.16

YEREVAN, March 8 (Itar-Tass) — The Constitutional Court of Armenia
on Saturday refused to invalidate the results of the February 19
presidential election in the country.

The opposition has refused to recognise the results of the election
and insists that it was won not by Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan but
by its candidate and former President Lev Ter-Petrosyan and urged the
Constitutional Court to invalidate the election results.

Ter-Petrosyan said the consideration of the matter in court during a
state of emergency was unlawful because the election may be deemed to
be completed only after the candidates’ complaints have been examined
by the Constitutional Court, but the Constitution ban elections
during a state of emergency.

However incumbent President Robert Kocharyan said Ter-Petrosyan was
`responsible for the riots in Yerevan and should be brought to
justice’.

`The opposition denied any dialogue long before the presidential
election had begun, Kocharyan said.

`We have always shown readiness for dialogue, but one of the
candidates [Levon Ter-Petrosyan] put his stakes on the radical part
of the electorate and did his utmost to polarise voters,’ he said.

The opposition staged 24-hour protests and rallies in the centre of
Yerevan, which were dispersed by police on March 1.

Mass riots swept Yerevan last Saturday and on the night to Sunday,
March 2, as a result of which eight people died and dozens were
injured.

On March 1, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan declared a 20-day
state of emergency in Yerevan.

The situation in Armenia has raised concerns in Europe. Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) envoy John Prescott
travelled to Armenia to find a way out of the political crisis.

Prescott welcomed Sarkisyan’s initiative to create a coalition
government and begin a dialogue.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress