Hakob Hakobyan /nicknamed –“Choyt”/ declared yesterday.
The upcoming parliamentary elections have become the matter of life and death for the RA authorities, especially for “Republican” party in N19 polling station in Echmiadzin. It is difficult to describe the current situation there in other way. Let’s remind that there are four candidates nominated there: NA parliamentarian, RPA member Hakob Rafiki Hakobyan /who was nicknamed “Choit”/, Sedrak Saroyan /General Seyran/, Susanna Harutiunyan, Hakob Varshami Hakobyan who works at district municipality of Arabkir and has no connection with Echmiadzin. A hot struggle was predicted in this polling station in the nomination period as the RPA decided to assist Sedrak Saroyan instead of RPA member Choyt.
The struggle between those two candidates have started several months ago. Hakob Hakobyan’s and Susanna Harutiunyan’s registration in N19 electoral district wasn’t also easy. Though they were registered after long disputes and by the presence of international observers, Hakob Hakobyan demanded from the Court of First Instance of Armavir yesterday to recognize invalid N19 electoral district\’s decision about “Choyt’s” and Susanna Harutiunyan’s registrations. This electoral district was marked by shots and fires on the night of April 8 when the campaign was going to be launched. When Hakob Hakobyan with his friend Grigor Avetisyan went to one of the restaurants of “Zvartnots” on his brother’s car “BMW-525, 70UL444, unknown persons took shots at the car and restaurant’s windows a few minutes later they got out of the car, at 00:30. H. Hakobyan told that only 20-30 cartridges were on the car and observer the incident in the context of electoral processes. He also told in the interview with “Aravot” correspondent that those who took shots at their car couldn’t know whether there was anybody in the car. That means that the shots were taken to kill and not frighten Choyt.
Unknown persons fired S. Harutiunyan’s pre-electoral headquarters the same day, at 4:00. Susanna Harutiunyan was informed about the incident only in the morning. S. Harutiunyan expressed doubt that both incidents were organized by Seyran Saroyan. Yesterday she insisted on her doubt. And in answer to Seyran Saroyan’s declaration that S. Harutiunyan has fired her office herself, the latter opposed: ‘He should go and clean up his past, his biography. I haven’t robbed anyone like he has.” She also added: “The whole state machine makes any effort to recognize my and H. Hakobyan’s candidacies invalid”.
By the way, H. Hakobyan also shared S. Harutiunyan’s opinion about S. Saroyan’s participation in the incident. And more, H. Hakobyan was also sure that the police also participated in the assassination attempt as he hadn’t been called to the police station and interrogated. The police simply examined the car and took it to the police station.
General Saroyan gives the same answer as if Choyt himself has taken shots at the car. In answer to this, H. Hakobyan declared yesterday that if Saroyan declared such thing, he was a fool. And while the parliamentary candidates address mutual accusations, the RA Prosecutor’s General Office brings a new criminal case against Choyt. The Prosecutor’s General Office spread a message yesterday, according to which Avag Ghazaryan, the citizen of Vagharshapat gave a message to the Vagharshapat’s regional police section on April 7, 2007. According to that message, “RA NA lawmaker Hakob Hakobyan abducted Sahak Ghazaryan, Avag Ghazaryan’s father and took him to the fourth cottage of “Zvartnots” restaurant complex. H. Hakobyan has promised S. Ghazaryan to give him 5000 USD if his son, Vanik Ghazaryan, doesn’t participate in the sitting of the Court of First Instance on April 9 and doesn’t give testimony against H. Hakobyan. According to these materials, the Prosecutor’s office of Armavir region has brought a criminal case. In answer to this accusation, H. Hakobyan told us yesterday: “That boy work in our headquarters, he was lost. When we were informed about it, I called on his father and asked about his son. Then we went to our office to look through the documents which he son had written against me. Then several persons came and took him. That’s all. I don’t know what they have told that man”. This is also a sign of persecution for H. Hakobyan: “Those people together with the police try to frighten us. We knew that it would be so”. In answer to our question whether he would withdraw his candidacy, Mr. Hakobyan told: “ No, I’m ready to struggle, in any way, in any form. I won’t withdraw my candidacy”.