PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: info@heritage.am; office@heritage.am
Website:

11 July 2008

HERITAGE HOLDS FIFTH PARTY CONVENTION:

ANAHIT BAKHSHIAN ELECTED EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIRWOMAN

Yerevan–Today the Heritage Party convened its fifth congress at the
Conference Hall of the Armenian Government. The event brought together
274 party delegates, numerous supporters, invited guests, renowned men
and women of the arts and letters, leading members of the academic
world, and media representatives.

The convention was called to discuss Heritage’s activities since last
the party had convened in 2006. The congress also thoroughly analyzed
Armenia’s domestic developments and the international events of the
past two years and looked at the avenues for surmounting the current
challenges and crises the country faces. The conference also expressed
deep concern with respect to the processes which are leading to
Armenia’s isolation in foreign politics and with regard to the
domestic unrest which is weakening the republic. The assembly also
outlined the benchmarks and strategic priorities for Heritage’s future
political activities.

Member of Heritage’s executive board and parliamentary group Vardan
Khachatrian welcomed the capacity audience with opening remarks.
Salutations also were delivered by renowned actor Yervand Manarian;
prime minister Tigran Sargsyan; Zhirair Sefilian, a devotee of
Artsakh’s struggle for liberty and self-determination; chairman Stepan
Demirtchian of the People’s Party; Armenia’s first president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan; and several others.

Raffi K. Hovannisian, leader of the Heritage Party and its faction in
the National Assembly, then was invited to take the floor. In a
powerful keynote address, Hovannisian took a historical look at the
origins of the Armenian national legacy and also underscored the need
to make the long-lasting civilization and rich culture of the
Fatherland serve the nation’s prosperity and to learn lessons from the
painful mistakes of the past. "But the important thing today–and
right here–is our future; it is the Armenia which we will hand down
to the coming generations. This Armenia imperatively must be founded
on the aspiration for truth, which in itself requires political valor,
mastery of rights, and moral determination," Hovannisian stated. In
his view, the unity of the nation, which is the vitally important
demand of today, must be achieved by way of exposing the real truth
behind the March 1 tragedy.

The next speaker, Heritage board member and MP Anahit Bakhshian,
presented an accounting of the board’s activities. The congress
approved the report and, through secret ballot, subsequently elected
the new board members. Heritage’s newly elected executive board
comprises Movses Aristakesian, Davit Badalian, Anahit Bakhshian, Haik
Gasparian, Zoya Tadevosian, Vardan Khachatrian, Rafik Hakobian, Raffi
K. Hovannisian, Armen Martirosian, Garnik Sahakian, and Arthur
Sardarian.

Hovsep Khurshudian, chairman of Heritage’s Constitutional Commission,
also presented its report which likewise was approved by the congress.
The latter then endorsed the motions to make amendments to the
party’s Charter and also approved the new members of the Commission.

In his turn, secretary Stepan Safarian of Heritage’s parliamentary
fraction presented a public accounting of its activity.

Next, the convention examined and approved the amendments proposed in
the party’s Program and also endorsed the report by the Audit
Commission.

In conclusion, the congress unanimously adopted the "Resolution of the
Heritage Party’s Fifth Congress." The Resolution specifically affirms:
"So long as Armenia’s democratic establishments are not awakened from
their state of dormancy and ineptitude, the rules of the game remain
unfair, the criminals remain unpunished, and officialdom remains
incapable of conducting a legal and political assessment of its own
administrative agencies and state servants. That this fundamental flaw
stands uncorrected means that our society is still in danger of
another March 1 calamity."

Following the convention, the newly elected executive board of the
Heritage Party convened its first meeting wherein Anahit Bakhshian was
elected chairwoman of the board, Movses Aristakesian as its deputy
chairman, Vardan Khachatrian and Armen Martirosian as secretaries,
Hovsep Khurshudian as Heritage spokesman, and Gevorg Kalenchian as
manager of the party’s headquarters.

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land.
Its central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10)
532.697, email at office@heritage.am or info@heritage.am, and website
at