Mediamax, Armenia
May 22 2009

Armenian Dashnaks report government pressure ahead of mayoral election

Yerevan, 22 May: The upcoming municipal elections in Yerevan on 31 May
cannot be described as fair and just, leader of the Heritage
opposition faction Armen Martirosyan has stated.

Secretary of the [pro-government] Orinats Yerkir (OYP) party faction
Artsruni Aghajanyan noted the opportunity of forming a coalition
municipal government following the results of the elections. He
expressed confidence that the OYP will manage to gain a sufficient
number of votes to be represented in the city council.

Leader of the pre-election list of [opposition] Dashnaktsutyun Artsvik
Minasyan stated that the authorities are putting pressure on the
political forces of Armenia to decrease tension before the elections
of 31 May and their "depoliticization". At that he expressed
confidence in his victory in the elections of Yerevan mayor.

Member of the [member of the governing coalition] Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP) faction Naira Zohrabyan stated that many electors expect
from elections solution of social and everyday problems. Talking about
the bickering between representatives of the PAP and the Republican
Party of Armenia, which had taken place in Yerevan’s Kanaker-Zeytun
and Achapnyak communities, she stated that "the activists of the PAP
are given an order not to yield to provocations in future".

Leader of the RPA [ruling Republican Party of Armenia] Galust Sahakyan
urged the political forces to refrain from speculations concerning
"deliberately prepared fraud". "We strive to reach a situation, when
on 1 June everybody would be content with the results of the
elections," he stated.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress