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HAK Monopolizes Opposition Arena: Karapetyan Criticizes 15 Demands

People’s Party leader Tigran Karapetyan is sure that the spring “is going to be lively.” He said this himself while meeting with journalists in Yerevan today.

“Since early parliamentary elections are prohibited after May 12 and they have to happen before May 12. We all know that the parliament has discredited itself and doesn’t serve the people, but rather serves the interests of the oligarchs and the authorities, and in this sense, we’re moving backward, retreating. And when the country’s president was saying, ‘Forward, Armenia!’ perhaps he was referring to the previous Armenia,” he said.

Karapetyan, speaking on the party’s plans, said they’re entering an “active phase” and though they don’t have much experience in organizing rallies, they are acquiring experience in the process.

In the People’s Party leader’s opinion, there was a big turn-out at the Mar. 1 Armenian National Congress rally because his supporters also participated in the rally. Further, Karapetyan criticized the 15 demands put forth by the opposition bloc.

“They say that the president is not legitimate, then they give the president an ultimatum — with that, they legitimize him,” he said.

Karapetyan considers the option of cooperating with all political forces to be possible — excluding the Pan-Armenian National Movement (HHSh) and the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK).

According to the party leader, the Armenian National Congress has monopolized the opposition arena and wants that “all pass under its sword.”

Asked by a journalist whether HAK made a suggestion to unite (and join forces), Karapetyan said no such proposal has been made. “No one would attempt to make such a suggestion to me; I will respond on the spot.”

Karapetyan noted that his party will be demanding Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation. Explaining why the party didn’t make such a move before, he said they “presented demands stage by stage.”

According to him, the People’s Party isn’t raising the issue of the president’s legitimacy, but rather says, “there is an autocratic state, which the sooner it resigns, the better it will be for the Armenian people.”