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Armenian opposition calls for new president

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  • Armenian opposition calls for new president

    Armenian opposition calls for new president

    Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
    13 Mar 04

    "The time will soon come when all of us will turn to the people and
    stay [in street demonstrations] until the administration leaves," the
    leader of the Anrapetutyun [Republic] Party, Albert Bazeyan, said
    yesterday during a meeting in the cultural centre for the deaf,
    organized by the intelligentsia. By the way, in saying "all of us"
    Bazeyan meant two opposition political forces: the Justice bloc and
    the National Unity Party. But it is worth noting that this time, as
    well as well-known opposition members, there were also some
    politicians, who may not be considered unreservedly members of the
    opposition. Specifically, the leader of the Christian Democratic
    Union, Khosrov Arutyunyan, the president of the ALM TV channel, Tigran
    Karapetyan (as a leader of the People's Party) and the former deputy
    of the National Assembly, Ovanes Ovanesyan, who recently set up his
    Liberal Progressive Party, took part in the meeting. Anyway, according
    to Bazeyan, the sooner there is a change of power in our republic, the
    better for the country. He is also sure that, if there is a nationwide
    powerful wave, today's administrative group will have no option but to
    leave.

    But what are they going to do, if they manage to get [Armenian
    President] Robert Kocharyan's resignation? Bazeyan replied: "We shall
    form an alternative power centre: all of us should take one
    responsibility - to organize democratic, free and fair elections in
    Armenia." He said that the political forces in the [governing]
    coalition will also be invited to be involved "in the alternative
    power centre". Bazeyan said that the president of the country should
    be a man elected by the republic and it is not ruled out that the
    opposition will put forward several candidates for president in
    extraordinary presidential elections.

    [Passage omitted: musician Ogan Duryan says in his speech that the
    people do not like Robert Kocharyan]

    All the opposition politicians emphasized in their speeches that
    Armenia needs a change of power and in this way should create the
    opportunity for the formation of legitimate authorities, really
    elected by the people. Only Tigran Karapetyan had a different view:
    "Really, there is a crisis in the country. I think that if the
    authorities do not do anything, then one should not continue to live
    in this way, and they should give up their place to those who will be
    soft-hearted."
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