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Did the HHK fling down the gauntlet?
[05:44 pm] 09 March, 2009

`The Coalition forces will gain more votes than others. The struggle
will be rather tense,’ the leader of the Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK), Galust Sahakyan said regarding the upcoming election of the
Yerevan City Council. The HHK Leader advised the opposition `not to be
that passive and take the posture of a loser.’

`The opposition says they will score good results if a parliamentary
election is conducted in the country. They had better prove their
ideology,’ says Galust Sahakyan.

With regard to Gagik Beglaryan’s appointment to the post of Yerevan
Mayor, the HHK Leader said: `If we announce that Beglaryan is the
first on the list it means he will be appointed to the post otherwise
the City Hall’s activity would become passive.’

Asked whether the HHK threw down the gauntlet to other forces with
Beglaryna’s designation, Galust Sahakyan said: `I must say that the
Republican Party has more levers in upper echelons as Armenia’s most
top officials are HHK members.’ He also added that the HHK is on good
terms with the Coalition forces.

`No need to become panic-stricken’

`The global economic crisis will end in the autumn,’ says Galust
Sahakyan. He also predicts economic growth in Armenia. `I think many
countries will end the year with losses but that won’t be a great
tragedy,’ he says. Asked whether the state budget might be reviewed
after the floating currency swap, the HHK Leader said: `The budget
will likely be curtailed if the crisis further deepens.’ I think it is
too early to make any predictions. The financial market is fully
liberalised today and I think it will promote to the liberalisation of
the commodity market. Some expenses can be reduced,
others-ignored. People should not panic. The farther we stay from it,
the easier the crisis can be surmounted.’