VAHAGN KHACHATRIAN: AUTHORITIES WILL AGREE TO GO TO SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
March 19, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 19, NOYAN TAPAN. For the Armenian National Congress
(ANC) Yerevan council of elders elections are not means of seizing
Mayor’s post, but an occasion to prove that it was first President,
ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosian who won the 2008 presidential
elections. Vahagn Khachatrian, a member of the Alternative
political-public initiative, an ANC representative, the former Yerevan
Mayor, stated at the March 19 press conference. According to him,
judging by the circumstance that in the 2008 elections L. Ter-Petrosian
received most of votes in Yerevan and the authorities always had
difficulties in rigging the elections in Yerevan, the ANC victory in
the May 31 elections is beyond any doubt.

"Winning the council of elders elections we will continue demanding the
authorities’ resignation and special state elections," the opposition
figure said. According to his prediction, the authorities will not be
able to resist the political and socio-economic challenges faced by
the country and as a result will agree to go to special presidential
elections. Those elections, according to V. Khachatrian, will be held
either in 2009 or at the worst in early 2010.

Touching upon ANC’s and Zharangutiun’s discussions on running for
Yerevan council of elders elections with a common electoral roll,
the former Mayor expressed the hope that these two political forces,
nevertheless, will find common verges. V. Khachatrian repeated that
not a problem of a post will be solved, but Armenia’s further fate
will be decided on May 31.