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Armenia's Shirak region will have no disaster zone in one year, says
Heritage leader
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/02/23/raffi-hovhannisyan-gyumri/
20:55 - 23.02.13
The former opposition presidential candidate, Raffi Hovhannisian, told
Saturday his voters in Gyumri that the Shirak region (of which Gyumri
is the capital) will have no disaster zone year in a year in case he
is declared a legitimate president.
`Gyumri determined Armenia's future; victory began from here,' he told
the crowd of his supporters in the second largest city.
Hovhannisian, who heads the opposition Heritage party, had a 32%
advantage over Serzh Sargsyan in the February 18 presidential
election. Some 42,635 voters (69.46%) in the city's 81 precincts had
casted their ballots in his favor. The incumbent president received
only 16,599 votes (27.04%). The governor of Shirak, Ashot Grigoryan,
resigned from office following the election, reportedly being
dissatisfied with his efforts to campaign for the president.
Hovhannisian said in the Saturday rally that no former president,
opposition figure or a local governor (regional or village governor)
can seize what he claims to be the real victory.
He warned policemen and the armed forces to respect the people's
decision, adding that anyone issuing an unlawful decision will be held
responsible in front of the people.
`Today, policemen and security officers have their errors and their
own past. We all must give an answer, but from now on, anyone - be it
a municipality employee, regional governor or a commander - who acts
as a security guarantor for the people, commit any infringement, he
will be held accountable before the law. You will deal with Armenia's
courts, not me in that case,' he added.
Addressing his words to the re-elected president, Hovhannisian
continued, `Mr Sargsyan, I respect you; you have a big contribution to
the Armenian statehood, but your mission is accomplished'
The crowd then began chanting slogans urging the incumbent to step
down. `We are for the opposition. We have rejected these authorities,
but have enough spirit and dignity to say thank you,' they said.
Hovhannisyan, who claims the February 18 election was tainted by
fraud, reiterated an earlier statement that his success is not limited
to narrow party interests. `There's no party flag; no ARF-D [Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun] or ANC [Armenian National
Congress] flag. We all came to realize that this is not a struggle for
a party. The Armenian man has to return from virgin lands, bringing
back his child to Armenia. A return to Armenia will be what will see
in five years. Hence, Mr. Sargsyan, our nation is unanimous at this
point. The [ordinary] citizen and the policeman, all the political
parties, the young and the elderly have come here to say that this is
not something for us; this is for our law and our nation,' he added.
Hovhannisyan reminded the crowd that he will rally in Yerevan's
Liberty Square Sunday afternoon regardless of permission by the City
Hall.
`The people must win; make no doubt about that. If the non-elected
government is unwilling [to step down], the people have to ready for a
long-lasting struggle,' the politician said.
Heritage leader
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/02/23/raffi-hovhannisyan-gyumri/
20:55 - 23.02.13
The former opposition presidential candidate, Raffi Hovhannisian, told
Saturday his voters in Gyumri that the Shirak region (of which Gyumri
is the capital) will have no disaster zone year in a year in case he
is declared a legitimate president.
`Gyumri determined Armenia's future; victory began from here,' he told
the crowd of his supporters in the second largest city.
Hovhannisian, who heads the opposition Heritage party, had a 32%
advantage over Serzh Sargsyan in the February 18 presidential
election. Some 42,635 voters (69.46%) in the city's 81 precincts had
casted their ballots in his favor. The incumbent president received
only 16,599 votes (27.04%). The governor of Shirak, Ashot Grigoryan,
resigned from office following the election, reportedly being
dissatisfied with his efforts to campaign for the president.
Hovhannisian said in the Saturday rally that no former president,
opposition figure or a local governor (regional or village governor)
can seize what he claims to be the real victory.
He warned policemen and the armed forces to respect the people's
decision, adding that anyone issuing an unlawful decision will be held
responsible in front of the people.
`Today, policemen and security officers have their errors and their
own past. We all must give an answer, but from now on, anyone - be it
a municipality employee, regional governor or a commander - who acts
as a security guarantor for the people, commit any infringement, he
will be held accountable before the law. You will deal with Armenia's
courts, not me in that case,' he added.
Addressing his words to the re-elected president, Hovhannisian
continued, `Mr Sargsyan, I respect you; you have a big contribution to
the Armenian statehood, but your mission is accomplished'
The crowd then began chanting slogans urging the incumbent to step
down. `We are for the opposition. We have rejected these authorities,
but have enough spirit and dignity to say thank you,' they said.
Hovhannisyan, who claims the February 18 election was tainted by
fraud, reiterated an earlier statement that his success is not limited
to narrow party interests. `There's no party flag; no ARF-D [Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun] or ANC [Armenian National
Congress] flag. We all came to realize that this is not a struggle for
a party. The Armenian man has to return from virgin lands, bringing
back his child to Armenia. A return to Armenia will be what will see
in five years. Hence, Mr. Sargsyan, our nation is unanimous at this
point. The [ordinary] citizen and the policeman, all the political
parties, the young and the elderly have come here to say that this is
not something for us; this is for our law and our nation,' he added.
Hovhannisyan reminded the crowd that he will rally in Yerevan's
Liberty Square Sunday afternoon regardless of permission by the City
Hall.
`The people must win; make no doubt about that. If the non-elected
government is unwilling [to step down], the people have to ready for a
long-lasting struggle,' the politician said.