The
opposition hasn’t been so unified in boycotting the referendum as it is now.The
leader of "Republic" party Aram Sargsian and the member of city soviet
Suren Sureniants declared yesterday officially that the "Republic" had
declared a total boycott to the referendum of Constitutional amendments held on
27 of November. The city soviet of the party took a decision on 21 of November
to call back the members of electoral commission appointed by the "Republic".
According to S. Sureniants, the appointed members in the regional voting stations
won’t take part in the process connected with the referendum on 27 of November.S.
Sureniants mentioned that the elections marred by illegalities prove that the
referendum can’t be illegal and the party doesn’t want to make it legitimate by
its participation. That decision connects with the joint strategy of the opposition;
to boycott the referendum and not to take part in the works of electoral commissions.In
Aram Sargsian’s opinion if the opposition boycotts the elections it mustn’t have
any participation to that referendum including the activities of electoral commissions.
"I think the absence of opposition in this play is a stronger step than the
participation and trying to fight." By A. Sargsian’s words the steps of the
opposition in providing for fair elections could be effective if the opposition
had those three main levels which the authorities have; court system, prosecutory,
police. "The opposition doesn’t have levels so it can’t provide for the justice.
We invested all our possibilities for being able to provide Justice in 2003. Did
we manage, certainly no because the police entered polling stations, and made
the observers and our members of commissions leave those stations,"-the leader
of the party reminded and added it was better to gather in the square, hold a
meeting of citizens and declare that the opposition doesn’t recognize the results
of elections held by the authority, that those elections were rigged by the authorities,
that the opposition was deprived of spreading its standpoints round the wide masses
of people and that a Constitution is held for the referendum which doesn’t come
from the interests of our state.Speaking of the steps arranged by the opposition
parallel with the referendum A. Sargsian informed that a special informative joint
center of the opposition will operate in the "Armeni-Mariott" hotel
on November 27-28 which will be become the alternative of the CEC. Aram Sargsian
also summoned all public and political organizations to take part in the civil
meeting on 25 of November initiated by Raffy Hovhannisian and his leading party
"Heritage" which will have its continuation on 27 of November.Naira
Mamikonian
