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PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO HAS BEEN ON HUNGER STRIKE AGREES TO HAVE THOROUGH MEDICAL EXAMINATION
YEREVAN, February 8. / ARKA /. Andrias Ghukasyan, one of the eight
candidates in the Armenian presidential race, who has been on hunger
strike for a nineteenth consecutive day, insisting on his demands for
president Serzh Sarkisian's resignation, agreed to undergo a thorough
medical examination in a few days after a conversation today with
health minister Derenik Dumanyan.
Andrias Ghukasyan is a political commentator running a private radio
station in Yerevan. He has been camped outside the National Academy
of Sciences building in downtown Yerevan since the official start of
campaigning for the February 18 presidential election.
"He agreed to have a comprehensive examination at a clinic. The fact
is that after 20 days of hunger the organism of a human being may be
affected by major changes, and we must inform Mr. Ghukasyan of it. He
said he would decide the date, the time, and the clinic in which he
would like to undergo the examination," the minister said.
"An ambulance with medics will continue around the clock watch near
the candidate and, if necessary, if there is a treat to his life,
we will think of his hospitalization," he said.
The minister said he receives information about Ghukasyan's health
condition several times a day. At the same time, the minister warned
that after a month of hunger strike, the consequences for the organism
become irreversible.
"I asked Mr. Ghukasyan to stop the hunger strike, but he made a
political decision", Dumanyan said.
On February 6 Ghukasyan health deteriorated, his blood pressure dropped
dramatically. Ghukasyan, who is regarded as a fringe contender, said
he is determined to continue the protest. He claims that president
Sargsyan must be disqualified as a candidate because his Republican
Party of Armenia has a long history of vote rigging.
The February 18 election will be contested by eight candidates -
the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan, former prime minister
Hrant Bagratian, ex-foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian, a Soviet
time dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan, former foreign minister of Karabakh
Arman Melikyan, a political analyst Andrias Ghukasyan, a businessman
Vartan Sedrakian and Aram Harutyunyan, leader of a small National
Unity party. -0- 18:13 08.02.2013
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/presidential_candidate_who_has_been_on_hunger_stri ke_agrees_to_have_thorough_medical_examination/
From: A. Papazian
YEREVAN, February 8. / ARKA /. Andrias Ghukasyan, one of the eight
candidates in the Armenian presidential race, who has been on hunger
strike for a nineteenth consecutive day, insisting on his demands for
president Serzh Sarkisian's resignation, agreed to undergo a thorough
medical examination in a few days after a conversation today with
health minister Derenik Dumanyan.
Andrias Ghukasyan is a political commentator running a private radio
station in Yerevan. He has been camped outside the National Academy
of Sciences building in downtown Yerevan since the official start of
campaigning for the February 18 presidential election.
"He agreed to have a comprehensive examination at a clinic. The fact
is that after 20 days of hunger the organism of a human being may be
affected by major changes, and we must inform Mr. Ghukasyan of it. He
said he would decide the date, the time, and the clinic in which he
would like to undergo the examination," the minister said.
"An ambulance with medics will continue around the clock watch near
the candidate and, if necessary, if there is a treat to his life,
we will think of his hospitalization," he said.
The minister said he receives information about Ghukasyan's health
condition several times a day. At the same time, the minister warned
that after a month of hunger strike, the consequences for the organism
become irreversible.
"I asked Mr. Ghukasyan to stop the hunger strike, but he made a
political decision", Dumanyan said.
On February 6 Ghukasyan health deteriorated, his blood pressure dropped
dramatically. Ghukasyan, who is regarded as a fringe contender, said
he is determined to continue the protest. He claims that president
Sargsyan must be disqualified as a candidate because his Republican
Party of Armenia has a long history of vote rigging.
The February 18 election will be contested by eight candidates -
the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan, former prime minister
Hrant Bagratian, ex-foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian, a Soviet
time dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan, former foreign minister of Karabakh
Arman Melikyan, a political analyst Andrias Ghukasyan, a businessman
Vartan Sedrakian and Aram Harutyunyan, leader of a small National
Unity party. -0- 18:13 08.02.2013
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/presidential_candidate_who_has_been_on_hunger_stri ke_agrees_to_have_thorough_medical_examination/
From: A. Papazian