PRE-ELECTION OFFICE SET ON FIRE

A1+
[01:56 pm] 05 September, 2008

The central pre-election office of Manuel Gasparian located at 3
Adonts was set on fire this morning. Manuel Gasparian runs in the
election of a district head of Yerevan’s Qanaqer-Zeitun commune.

Manuel Gasparian told A1+ that they had noticed nothing extraordinary
when leaving the office at 3 a.m. At 9 o’clock in the morning the
office-cleaner brought the terrifying news. The windows were broken to
pieces and bottles of petrol were thrown here and there. All posters
and signboards were burnt down. The walls were blackened.

"Manuel Gasparian thinks the intrusion was planned by some ill-bred
people who feel envy when seeing so many people at Gasparian’s
meetings."

Manuel Gasparian also added that the representative of the acting
district head Arayik Kotanjian had looked in his pre-election office
the other day and began threatening and railing at the women. Then
he threw away the pre-election booklets laid on the table and tore
off the signs posted on the walls.

Furthermore, attempts were made to bribe the head of another
pre-election office.

Manuel Gasparian adheres to the Armenian National Congress and says
he will not give up. "I am more than convinced that we shall celebrate
my victory in three days. We simply need to be armed with patience."

Note, elections to self-government bodies in Qanaqer-Zeitun are
scheduled for September 7.