Epress.am News from Armenia
Entrepreneur Silva Hambardzumyan has not ruled out the possibility of putting forth her nomination in Syunik marz (province) to run in next year’s parliamentary elections, reports local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”).
“I still have time to think [about it]… I’ll respond more completely one month later,” she told the newspaper’s reporter, adding that if she is nominated, she will most certainly win.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s brother, Sashik Sargsyan, was elected the MP from Syunik marz in the 2007 National Assembly elections. The newspaper’s sources, however, note that Serzh Sargsyan, keeping in mind PR considerations, won’t allow for Sashik Sargsyan’s to be nominated as a MP candidate this time. It’s likely that nominated in this constituency on a majority electoral system might also be Syunik marzpet (regional governor) Suren Khachatryan.
Recall, Silva Hambardzumyan charged that Suren Khachatryan attacked her as she was leaving a Yerevan hotel on Nov. 14.
Subsequently, Armenia’s Special Investigative Service launched proceedings specified by RA Criminal Code Article 118 (“Battery or committal of other violent acts… is punished with a fine in the amount of up to 100 minimal salaries, or correctional labor for up to 1 year, or with arrest for the term of up to 2 months”).