Epress.am News from Armenia
Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP Karen Avagyan, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today, urged losing candidate and opposition member Sasun Mikaelyan to display political will and congratulate Hrazdan mayor, HHK member, and re-elect Aram Danielyan, especially since Mikaelyan’s campaign team is not preparing to protest the results from Sunday’s mayoral elections.
Countering this observation, however, was the other speaker at today’s press conference, Heritage Party MP Stepan (Styopa) Safaryan, who said that Avagyan missed a minor detail in Mikaelyan’s statement — he will not be contesting the election because he doesn’t trust the country’s judicial system. And that the elections were held without evidence of fraud, Safaryan continued, is under doubt.
“The ruling party used all its leverage. It goes without saying that the marzpet [regional councillor] doesn’t need to state that he will do everything for the candidate representing his political party to win in the Hrazdan elections. You won the elections, the people and the opposition. Why were Heritage Party representatives removed from the electoral commission? So they could do whatever they want,” Safaryan infered.
Under no circumstances should the opposition fall into despair from the Hrazdan election results, Safaryan added.
Karen Avagyan, in turn, described statements on electoral fraud by Heritage Party observers as gossip. According to him, the elections passed in accordance with the electoral code.