Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Decision 2013: Opp candidate sets new deadline for `power handover'

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Decision 2013: Opp candidate sets new deadline for `power handover'

    Decision 2013: Opposition candidate sets new deadline for `power handover'

    http://armenianow.com/vote_2013/44058/armvote13_raffi_hovannisian_rally_constitutional_c ourt
    VOTE 2013 | 02.03.13 | 19:30


    Photolure


    Raffi Hovannisian, the official runner-up in last week's presidential
    election, has extended his `deadline' to top Armenian officials to
    start `handing over power to the people' by challenging them to accept
    his invitation and attend his next rally in Yerevan early next week.

    In addressing thousands of supporters in Yerevan's Liberty Square on
    Saturday, Hovannisian said he would send formal letters to President
    Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan (no relation to the
    head of state) and Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan to come to the next
    opposition gathering scheduled for March 5 and `answer' for all the
    `unlawfulness and injustices'.

    Enlarge Photo


    At the same time, he indicated that he would not mind meeting any of
    these officials in their own offices, as, he stressed, these offices
    already belong to the people.

    Hovannisian, who, according to the Central Election Commission, polled
    close to 37 percent of the vote in the February 18 presidential
    election, is disputing the reelection of incumbent President Sargsyan,
    who officially garnered nearly 59 percent of the vote.

    He, however, has not yet decided whether he should seek the annulment
    of the election outcome at the Constitutional Court.

    Addressing his supporters at the rally the opposition leader said
    specialists of his team will consider the matter over the weekend and
    he will announce his decision on Monday.

    `If we do decide to turn to the Constitutional Court, however, it will
    be the last chance for its members to exercise constitution law and
    come clean before the people,' stressed the politician.

    Earlier on Saturday, Hovannisian met with Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini,
    the head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, which gave a
    mostly positive early evaluation to the election, reportedly to
    discuss matters concerning the elections and the post-election
    situation in Armenia.

    OSCE/ODIHR has now published its third intermediate report, which
    contains much more critical assessments regarding the authorities'
    handling of the election and the post-election period than its two
    previous reports.

    According to OSCE/ODIHR observers, in particular, an analysis of
    official results shows a correlation between a very high turnout and
    the number of votes for the incumbent. `This raises concerns regarding
    the confidence over the integrity of the electoral process,' said the
    mission in its report.

    OSCE/ODIHR also noted that `since 20 February, Mr. Hovannisian has
    staged a series of protest rallies in Yerevan and several regions,
    which were joined by some opposition parties and politicians. The
    gatherings were peaceful and the authorities did not interfere, but
    the police stated that they are illegal and could lead to
    administrative liability.' It also criticized some broadcast media for
    showing a `selective approach' in their post-election coverage of
    political events, with a noticeable tendency to limit views critical
    of the conduct of the election.

Working...
X