Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, a member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), made a prediction at a press conference a few days ago that after the election, Raffi Hovhannisyan would congratulate Serzh Sargsyan. Taking into account the latest developments related to R. Hovhannisyan, www.aravot.am inquired of Mr. Yeghiazaryan whether he still thought so. Our interlocutor said that he thought the same way. He also told us how R. Hovhannisyan would congratulate the president, but we will publish that when G. Yeghiazaryan’s prediction proves true. Then the ANC member went into detail: “Raffi won unprecedented amount of votes; he didn’t expect that. The problem is in an absolutely different dimension. Firstly, I don’t believe that there were 51 thousand spoilt ballots; there were five times more. Then people voted not for Raffi, but against Serzh. The citizen of the Republic of Armenia doesn’t want to live like this anymore. It is not a problem for the government. One can always find a couple dozen Europeans and settle the issue. Perhaps, our parties should gather and make an appeal to the European Union and ask that those rogues not come to our country and besmirch elections. We should get rid of those European falsifiers and master our own fate.” Coming back to the internal political situation, we inquired whether it was possible that the opposition camp would rally to R. Hovhannisyan. G. Yeghiazaryan replied: “I rule it out. I think this show will last for a week, tops. Raffi has held two rallies, at which he didn’t say anything specific. His further actions are not visible. These are fruitless gatherings. For example, he says that Serzh should come and hand over power. It is unrealistic and doesn’t include any serious element. Firstly, there is no legal mechanism of handing over power to someone else in the square. Say, he comes and says: ‘I am sorry for what I have done, I am sorry, Mr. Hovhannisyan, I will take out the votes from my pocket now and give them to you…” this is just ridiculous. The demand already includes an abstract idea. He didn’t even care to sit down and formulate that idea. Let us prompt him to formulate an idea that is in line with our Constitution. Let him demand a new election, formulate the demand correctly. However, I don’t believe that this is a demand; this is another bluff. I wouldn’t call this a deal, since the government is surprised, although there was a preliminary agreement. However, Serzh Sargsyan will eventually have to say thank you to Raffi Hovhannisyan for all these actions, since when people who look at Raffi with tears in their eyes become disappointed afterwards they will not come around for a long time…. I am more than convinced that Priest Gapon of our time will not win; it will result in great disappointment, since his path doesn’t lead to the temple, but to treachery.” And at the end of the conversation, G. Yeghiazaryan added: “The opposition camp says many thanks to Serzh Azatich for purging the political stage of political trash and mines.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
