Opposition Party Pulls Out of Election, Calls it a ‘Performance’

The New Times party won’t be running in the upcoming parliamentary election because it’s a performance, said party leader Aram Karapetyan, speaking to reporters in the Armenian capital earlier today.

“The opposition becomes a participant in legitimizing the ruling authorities’ fraud. We decided not to participate in this program this time. I don’t welcome any party that considers itself opposition and participates in this performance,” he said.

The experience of the mayoral elections in Hrazdan, whereby Armenian National Congress (HAK) representative Sasun Mikaelyan was defeated by ruling Republican Party of Armenia candidate, incumbent Aram Danielyan, as well as not moving to a 100% proportional representation system in parliament, according to Karapetyan, proves that the ruling power wants to be the absolute majority, of course ceding some seats to the opposition.

In the opposition party leader’s view, some opposition forces have “sold out”.

“Those shouting ‘let’s deport the Turks with brooms’ have now been included in the ruling parties’ lists and because of this the public is becoming even more disenchanted with the opposition. Experience shows that if there isn’t pressure from the streets, the authorities won’t change their program. It’s incomprehensible — what is HAK going to do in the elections? Why not take to the streets from the start if, all the same, the path to getting into parliament will lead to the street?” he said.