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EIGHT CANDIDATES REGISTERED FOR ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Alexei Druzhinin
RIA Novosti
YEREVAN, January 14 (RIA Novosti) - Armenia's Central Election
Commission registered in an extraordinary session on Monday eight
candidates for the country's presidential election slated for February
18, the Novosti-Armenia news agency reported.
Among the candidates are current President Serzh Sargsyan, former
Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, US-born former Foreign Minister Raffi
Hovannisian, Soviet-era dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan, and former Foreign
Minister of the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arman Melikyan.
The main opposition coalition, the Armenian National Congress, headed
by first Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, declined to nominate
a candidate.
Experts have said Sargsyan remains the favorite in the race, especially
since two other political heavyweights - Petrosian and businessman
and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan - opted out of
the contest.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will
monitor the vote.
The election campaign begins on January 21 and will end on February
16. This election marks the sixth presidential poll in Armenia's
post-Soviet history.
Alexei Druzhinin
RIA Novosti
YEREVAN, January 14 (RIA Novosti) - Armenia's Central Election
Commission registered in an extraordinary session on Monday eight
candidates for the country's presidential election slated for February
18, the Novosti-Armenia news agency reported.
Among the candidates are current President Serzh Sargsyan, former
Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, US-born former Foreign Minister Raffi
Hovannisian, Soviet-era dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan, and former Foreign
Minister of the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arman Melikyan.
The main opposition coalition, the Armenian National Congress, headed
by first Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, declined to nominate
a candidate.
Experts have said Sargsyan remains the favorite in the race, especially
since two other political heavyweights - Petrosian and businessman
and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan - opted out of
the contest.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will
monitor the vote.
The election campaign begins on January 21 and will end on February
16. This election marks the sixth presidential poll in Armenia's
post-Soviet history.