Opposition Spokesperson Hints at HAK, Prosperous Armenia Collaboration

Starting from Mar. 1, the Armenian National Congress (HAK) will begin a new political process, said HAK spokesperson Arman Musinyan, speaking to reporters in the Armenian capital today. According to him, the opposition bloc’s first nationwide rally this year is important not only because it will commemorate the anniversary of the 10 deaths of Mar. 1, 2008, but also because HAK will announce its activities of the coming two months.

Musinyan pointed out that the May parliamentary elections will be of great vital significance and will decide the course of development in the country.

“Either the country will remain hostage to this bandit administration or we are going to battle them and win,” he said.

The opposition representative didn’t go into any details, saying only that HAK will try as much as possible to mobilize the public, for not only preventing (electoral) fraud, but also protesting against such fraud.

According to Musinyan, HAK is the political entity that has the highest rating in Armenia. He felt that the indicator achieved at last month’s mayoral election in the city of Hrazdan, considering it occurred under known pressures, can be projected on the entire country. (Recall, HAK mayoral candidate Sasun Mikaelyan had gathered 46% of the votes in this election.)

Asked whether he considers HAK collaboration with the Prosperous Armenia Party (a junior party in the ruling coalition) possible, Musinyan said: “If the Prosperous Armenia Party in the coming months shows that it has an interest in free [democratic] elections and shows public resistance against fraud, then it will become clear that the main party carrying out illegalities is the [ruling] Republican Party of Armenia.”

Asked if HAK is unable to secure seats in parliament will it participate in parliamentary work or boycott it, Musinyan said HAK’s position after the elections will be conditioned not by the number of parliamentary mandates it has secured but by the quality of the elections.

“There is one obstacle for fair elections: that is [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan being at the head of administration and the Republican Party of Armenia he leads. If there are fair elections, we will continue even if we have [only] one lawmaker in the National Assembly. But every rational being understands if the elections are free and democratic, there will be no trace of [the current] administration,” he said.