Oppositional rally is on in Yerevan

Today, at 6:20 p.m. Moscow time, in Freedom Square a several thousand strong rally of the oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC) began.

The audience sang the national anthem of Armenia, and then chanted: "Freedom!", "Free and independent Armenia!"

After a short introduction, stating that the ANC will continue to consistently fight for the establishment of democracy, Aram Manukyan, the leader of the Armenian National Movement, who is running the event, passed the floor to Nikol Pashinyan, an ANC activist and editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper "Aikakan Zhamanak" (Armenian Time), who was released from imprisonment three days ago.

"I declare that from today on we start a political process in favour of early presidential and parliamentary elections, because only they may return people's faith in its future," said Pashinyan.

The next speaker was Sasun Mikaelyan, another ANC activist and a veteran of the Karabakh War, who regain freedom on May 27. "Your commitment and the wise leadership of Levon Ter-Petrosyan have led us to this day - the day of victory. If not for your consistent actions, we all should have still remained in prison," he said.

Under Mr Mikaelyan's conviction, today the country has all the prerequisites for a civilized change of power. "There comes a turning point in our progress. I am proud that I am a soldier in this movement. I am confident that Armenia has its bright future," said Mikaelyan.

Other recently released opposition activists - Shmavon Galstyan and Ara Ovannisyan - were close to the organizers of the rally and were also greeted by the crowd.

The strength of the rally continues growing; some people are listen to and watching the rally from Northern Avenue, adjacent to Freedom Square.