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Analyst Doesn’t Consider Hovannisian’s ‘Inadequate’ Hunger Strike to be PR Stunt

Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian’s hunger strike, announced without any political demands, surprised political analyst Suren Surenyants, who, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today, said, “Only on the 8th day were the 15 points, the demands of which are again not adequate for political vocabulary, made public.”

Surenyants considers such an extreme move by Hovannisian to be inadequate in political terms.

“But in moral and human terms, I express my solidarity to him,” he said.

The analyst also touched upon a subject widely discussed in the press lately: why Armenian National Congress leader Levon Ter-Petrossian didn’t greet Hovannisian during his rally on Mar. 17.

Surenyants said that it pains him that his most liked political figure Levon Ter-Petrossian didn’t greet Hovannisian and further, that he explained this move in terms of Christian principles.

These two political figures “have to put religious rhetoric to one side,” said the analyst.

Asked by a journalist whether the Heritage Party’s active engagement which began in early March is a PR stunt with which the party is preparing for parliamentary elections, Surenyants said:

“I don’t think that Raffi Hovannisian is so shallow thinking that he wants to solve the issue of mere parliamentary seats through this hunger strike.”

According to the analyst, this move could do more harm than good to Hovannisian.