08 January 2013, 17:00
Raffi Ovannisyan: I look forward to two rounds of presidential election in Armenia
Voters should take an active part in the upcoming presidential election. This was stated by Raffi Ovannisyan, a presidential candidate, Chairman of the opposition "Heritage" Party. He believes that the thesis of the absence of competition at the election is incorrect.
"I myself am not afraid of defeat or victory. I do not agree that because of refusal to participate in the election voiced by Levon Ter-Petrosyan (the leader of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), note of the 'Caucasian Knot'), Gaik Tsarukyan (the leader of the 'Prosperous Armenia' Party, note of the 'Caucasian Knot') and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARFD), the election will be short of competition. On the contrary, the upcoming election will represent a struggle between two Armenias – the present and the future ones," Raffi Ovannisyan has emphasized at the today's press conference.
In his turn, David Petrosyan, a political commentator of the analytical centre "Noyan Tapan", believes that the outcome of the election has been predetermined. "The forces that could make a real political competition to the incumbent President refused to nominate their own candidates."
Stepan Grigoryan, the head of the Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Development, has expressed the similar opinion. "The election is predictable, since there is no real competition."
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan Source: CK correspondent
