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Nicosia: Cypriot Armenians Submit Candidacies For By-Election

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  • Nicosia: Cypriot Armenians Submit Candidacies For By-Election

    CYPRIOT ARMENIANS SUBMIT CANDIDACIES FOR BY-ELECTION

    Financial Mirror, Cyprus
    Sept 27 2005

    www.financialmirror.com

    Three members of the Armenian religious group have submitted their
    candidacies today for the post of new representative of the Armenian
    religious group to the House of Representatives that will take place
    9 October 2005.

    The new representative will succeed Bedros Kalaydjian, who passed
    away on 1st September at the age of 71.

    Vahakn Atamyan, Antranig Ashdjian and Parsegh Zartarian submitted their
    candidacies to Chief Returning Officer Lazaros Savvides who said that
    around 1,950 Armenians are eligible to vote in the by-election.

    He also said that four voting centers will operate, two at the
    Armenian elementary school "Narek" in Nicosia, one at Larnaca District
    Administration and another at Limassol District Administration. The
    new representative will be declared at the Interior Ministry around
    1930 local time on 9 October.

    In statements, Ashdjian said he submitted his candidacy, with the
    main concern to preserve the national identity, language and culture
    of the Armenian community.

    Ashdjian further said he feels he can get the Armenians out of the
    deadlock which they are now in, noting that one of the issues which
    they are facing is the future of the Armenian Melkonian Institute.

    The Melkonian school closed this year but Armenians have been
    campaigning to prevent the land from being sold off. The government
    has declared 60% of the land as national heritage, while suits are
    still ongoing for the remaining 40%.

    On his part, Atamyan said that if he is elected, "I will try to do
    everything to find a solution to the problems which the Armenian
    community is facing".

    One of his priorities, he added, would be to save the Melkonian
    Institute, to end the destruction and restore the historical and
    religious monuments of the community in the Turkish occupied north of
    Cyprus and continue the legacy of brothers Aram and Bedros Kalaydjian
    to further develop relations with Armenian political forces.

    Zartarian said that the Armenian community has matured and now is
    the time for an independent candidate to win the elections.

    He also said that he has the ideas and abilities to work with the
    Armenians to solve the problems, which they are facing.

    The three religious groups, belonging to the Greek Cypriot community,
    Latins, Armenians and Maronites, elect a representative each to the
    House, who does not take up one of the 56 parliamentary seats.
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