Opposition in Armenia is Already United: Armenian National Congress

The opposition in Armenia can now be considered united, said Armenian National Congress (HAK) coordinator Levon Zurabyan, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today.

“All those [political] forces that find that [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan’s regime has to resign and snap elections should be held are already united. All those who will likewise accept this, the door is open for them too. Three years ago, only HAK was of this opinion; now already speaking of this is Karapetich [People’s Party leader Tigran Karapetyan], speaking about this is the Heritage Party, and also other forces — this is a serious outcome.. united around our goal, around the resignation of Serzh Sargysan’s regime, the autocratic regime. Different methods of struggle are chosen: one force fights with a 100,000 rally [editor’s note: no rallies have had 100,000 people]; another, with a fast [referring to Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian’s hunger strike]; another, by showing a red card [referring to a gesture by Karapetyan]. I don’t see any problem whatsoever,” said Zurabyan.

Responding to a journalist’s query for comments on Hovannisian’s hunger strike, the HAK representative said he can only provide a theoretical explanation.

“I can only theoretically explain, if someone wants his protest to be perceived as a civic protest, he should express enchanting words: this is my political demand, if this demand is not met, the hunger strike won’t end. As for the remaining questions, I think, the first president of the Republic of Armenia [HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrossian] provided a comprehensive response and I have nothing more to add,” he said.