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TER-PETROSIAN CAMP DEMANDS SARKISIAN RESIGNATION
By Ruzanna Stepanian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 4 2007
Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian appeared to have launched a new
offensive against Armenia's government on Tuesday when his political
allies demanded that Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian step down ahead
of the upcoming presidential election.
A new umbrella structure uniting pro-Ter-Petrosian political parties
and individuals said Sarkisian's resignation is essential for creating
a level playing field for all presidential candidates and ensuring
that the February 19 vote is democratic.
"If the candidates holding one or another [government] post want to
participate in a free and fair election and are concerned with the
country's future, they must resign their posts," said Garnik Markarian,
a leader of the grouping called Legitimate President-2008.
"This primarily applies to Serzh Sarkisian."
Sarkisian and his Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) are certain to
dismiss the call. The HHK heavily relied on its tight control of
many government bodies to secure a landslide victory in last May's
parliamentary elections and is widely expected to resort to the
so-called "administrative resources" during the presidential vote
as well.
Markarian, who leads one of a dozen opposition parties supporting
Ter-Petrosian's return to power, said the new opposition movement will
stage rallies in a bid to force Sarkisian to quit as prime minister. He
said it will also take actions aimed at preventing possible vote
rigging. In particular, Armenians will be urged to "rise up" and
"break the hand attempting to rig" the election, he added.
In the words of Lyudmila Sargsian, another Legitimate President-2008
leader, the movement will also launch a public relations campaign
aimed at persuading people not to sell their votes to pro-government
candidates. She said other opposition candidates should also join
the new grouping if they are interested in a clean vote.
"If they want to get elected, they have to join us because the other
camp shows no desire to hold a free and fair election," Sargsian told
a news conference.
HHK leaders say the Armenian government is committed to ensuring the
freedom and fairness of the presidential ballot. They point to its
conduct of the May elections which was praised by Western observers.
By Ruzanna Stepanian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 4 2007
Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian appeared to have launched a new
offensive against Armenia's government on Tuesday when his political
allies demanded that Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian step down ahead
of the upcoming presidential election.
A new umbrella structure uniting pro-Ter-Petrosian political parties
and individuals said Sarkisian's resignation is essential for creating
a level playing field for all presidential candidates and ensuring
that the February 19 vote is democratic.
"If the candidates holding one or another [government] post want to
participate in a free and fair election and are concerned with the
country's future, they must resign their posts," said Garnik Markarian,
a leader of the grouping called Legitimate President-2008.
"This primarily applies to Serzh Sarkisian."
Sarkisian and his Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) are certain to
dismiss the call. The HHK heavily relied on its tight control of
many government bodies to secure a landslide victory in last May's
parliamentary elections and is widely expected to resort to the
so-called "administrative resources" during the presidential vote
as well.
Markarian, who leads one of a dozen opposition parties supporting
Ter-Petrosian's return to power, said the new opposition movement will
stage rallies in a bid to force Sarkisian to quit as prime minister. He
said it will also take actions aimed at preventing possible vote
rigging. In particular, Armenians will be urged to "rise up" and
"break the hand attempting to rig" the election, he added.
In the words of Lyudmila Sargsian, another Legitimate President-2008
leader, the movement will also launch a public relations campaign
aimed at persuading people not to sell their votes to pro-government
candidates. She said other opposition candidates should also join
the new grouping if they are interested in a clean vote.
"If they want to get elected, they have to join us because the other
camp shows no desire to hold a free and fair election," Sargsian told
a news conference.
HHK leaders say the Armenian government is committed to ensuring the
freedom and fairness of the presidential ballot. They point to its
conduct of the May elections which was praised by Western observers.