Armenian ex-presidential candidate to discuss issue of new cabinet
Heritage party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian has started his rally in Yerevan’s Freedom Square.
At his press conference on Thursday, he announced his intention to present new points of his programs.
On March 10, Mr Hovannisian decided to go on an open-ended hunger strike.
On Friday, the writer Violet Grigoryan joined him by holding a one-day hunger strike.
Along with the hunger strike, a group of young people are holding a sit-in.
17:36 Heritage party Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan, who was the first to speak at the rally, stated that Mr Hovannisian will do his best “for not a single drop of blood to fall on the earth.”
Mr Hovannisian’s hunger strike is a protest at election frauds and the last “camping site” to victory.
“Many citizens were alarmed by the fact, but I can say that Raffi Hovannisian’s will get stronger. We are waging a peaceful struggle, and no one can strip us of it,” he said.
Mr Martirosyan informed the participants of a ‘public-initiated signature-gathering campaign.”
All those wishing can put their signatures to the petition, which reads: “I, a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, welcome the newly elected president Raffi Hovannisian’s struggle, for ratification of the Armenian people’s victory and our national revival. I am ready to fully support Raffi Hovannisian in his and our sacred struggle and participate in new Armenia’s inauguration scheduled for April 9.”
17:41 The intellectual Rafael Hambartsumyan called for leading the current situation to victory. According to him, Serzh Sargsyan does not enjoy Armenian people’s confidence, and Raffi Hovannisian’s self-sacrificing step was made for the victory to come as soon as possible.
According to him, Armenia’s authorities have the only way of “getting rid of the people in Freedom Square.”
“What do they have to do if they have nothing at all to offer? The only thing to prevent us from coming to the square is that Serzh Sargsyan can only unleash war against Turks and say he has started war, and we have to go,” he said.
According to him, President Serzh Sargsyan’s tyranny is the same as Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s.
17:50 The Public and political figure Arkady Vardanyan called on the Armenian Diaspora to join the struggle.
“By his self-sacrifice Armenia’s newly elected president created an unprecedented political situation, but I believe that none of the people present here wants to see dead bodies. The only thing we want to see is the ruling administration’s death,” Mr Vardanyan said.
Mr Hovannisian is not a political figure to utter mere words. “No one can take Raffi Hovannisian from the altar – neither Serzh Sargsyan nor Vladimir Putin or Barack Obama,” he said.
If Armenia’s authorities fail to realize the gravity of the situation, more and more people will be present in Freedom Square day by day.
18:02 Zaruhi Postanjyan, a Heritage parliamentary group member, said that “no one smiled after the Constitutional Court issued its ruling.” The reason is that, except for the claimants, all the participants were well aware that “the judges had struck a bargain with Satan and sold their conscience to him.”
“May be Serzh Sargsyan or anyone else is the Satan, but no one felt satisfied after that bargain.”
The numerous claims “got on the nerves” of the CC president. The claimants demanded a recount of votes in all the 1,988 polling stations to find out the real situation.
“The claim was dismissed. You should have supported the proposal if you are sure of yourselves. We lodged a claim for you to invite the witnesses and members of election commissions and find out how it happened that Serzh Sargsyan received 100% of votes with 100% voter turnout, and Raffi Hovannisian received most of the vote with 50% voter turnout,” Mrs Postanjyan said. No judge involved in that fraud will be forgiven, she added.
“We are not going to tolerate the people involved in the frauds and threatening the persons that may tell the public about the frauds. Serzh Sargsyan publicly admitted his having organized the February 18 elections,” she said.
18:21 “Shame!” was the people’s response to Heritage party Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan’s statement that the actor Vardan Petrosyan had not been allowed to meet with students of French University in Armenia.
“Veterans of the Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] war have their contribution because the blood they shed for liberation of Artsakh they shed for Armenia’s independence as well.”
Mr Martirosyan read out four veterans’ letters calling on Armenia’s people to unite and build up an Armenia of their dream.
18:30 Chairman of the Union of Consumers of Armenia Armen Poghosyan noted that the Armenian people has made progress, but has not achieved the aims many people sacrificed their life for. At present Armenians do not have the Armenia they can peacefully live in, he said.
“Bad food may harm 50 people, but rigged elections violate the rights of all the citizens. There is no ‘good president or ‘bad president’, but there is an elected or unelected president. This is our common principle. I want you to be consistent. Municipal elections will be held soon to be followed by elections of the Yerevan mayor. We must not ignore the elections and we must vote and win,” Mr Poghosyan said. Raffi Hovannisian must head the list along with Stepan Demirchyan, Armen Martirosyan, Zaruhi Postanjyan, Anahit Bakhshyan and others.
18:58 Suren Zolyan, former rector of Yerevan State Linguistic University, spoke at the rally and said that Raffi Hovannisian is really defending all the citizens’ rights. “Different experts may say that Raffi Hovannisian fails to realize what he is doing and he is a good, but naïve man. But there is no point in discussing it, because Raffi Hovannisian has been elected president and we must accept this fact. No matter what his programs are, and let the loser prepare for the next election,” he said.
Although Mr Zolyan voted for Andrias Ghukasyan, he is supporting Raffi Hovannisian now. “The ones that rigged the election are part of our society. We must not reject them. Let us amnesty the election riggers and set up a committee to find out all the facts,” he said.
All the parties that did not participate in the presidential election are preparing for the municipal elections. “They are doing well, but have the election commissions changed? Injustice to the citizens is the gravest crime. Injustice destroys the state,” Mr Zolyan said.
“Raffi Hovannisian is doing right, but he will fail if we ourselves fail to be organized,” he added.
19:12 David Sanasaryan, a Heritage party member, read out a letter by Veronika Avetyan, whose brother Vahe Avetyan was brutally beaten at Hrasnaqar restaurant and died in hospital later. The letter reads, in particular: “We are struggling for justice. May mothers not shed tears and may sisters not be bereaved of their brothers. To put an end to this atmosphere of impunity I wish you, Mr Hovannsian, divine wisdom to be able to put the disappointed people on the right track. We have no right to go to bed with calm conscience as long as the blood of Vahe Avetyan and of other innocent victims is fresh.”
“The murderers must answer for their crime. I swear that Vahe Avetyan’s children will live in a free, just and independent Armenia,” Mr Sanasaryan said.
19:42 Ex-presidential candidate Andrias Ghukasyan addressed “the high court” where he tried to appeal the results of the Feb. 18 presidential election in Armenia.
“The judge had not the courage to summon Serzh Sargsyan as a witness,” he said. The court should have considered the fact that Armenia’s future and the future generations was at stake, Mr Ghukasyan said.
19:57 Nikol Pashinyan, an MP from the opposition bloc Armenian National Congress (ANC), and Heritage party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian were the last to speak at the rally.
Mr Pashinyan called on the rock singer Serj Tankian, world-famous singer Charles Aznavour and the US-based billionaire Kirk Kerkorian to support the movement. He also announced the formation of a civil council to form an alternative government.
In his turn, Mr Hovannisian was highly critical of the statement issued by the press office of the Holy See, which reads that he is trying to turn the Gospel into a target of political speculations.
Mr Hovannisian was also critical of President of the European People's Party (EPP) Wilfried Martens for his interview with Azatutyun Radio.
He noted that Europe must not “teach the Armenian people democracy.” He does not rule out the Heritage party’s membership in the EPP. Mr Hovannisian stated that discussions of Mr Pashinyan’s proposal for a civil council will start on March 17.
21:13 “Since February 18, the political situation has been dynamically changing in Armenia, and we would like to dwell on one of the important facts, Raffi Hovannisian’s hunger-strike. Different opinions have been voiced, which, however, do not consider the most important fact. I think that Raffi Hovannisian’s hunger-strike is a clear message to the Armenian and international communities, which will consistently defend the people’s choice, and Serzh Sargsyan’s illegal regime will not be able to gain victory over their own people,” Mr Pashinyan said.
A compromise is possible provided power is peacefully handed over to Raffi Hovannisian, he said.
“They must realize that the people have no room for concessions. Victory or nothing!”
“As citizens and a civil movement we have a problem to resolve – freeing Armenia from Serzh Sargsyan regime,” Mr Pashinyan said.
He called on the people to bring their families to Republic Square on April 9, the president’s inauguration day.
Mr Pashinyan also quoted Charles Aznavour, who once said that “genocide is now being committed inside my country.”
“Now you have a unique chance to stop this genocide. I am calling on you to come to your homeland and render a historic service to it. The people want a civil victory, nothing else. Long live our children, who must live in free and independent Armenia,” Mr Pashinyan said.
Videos
Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
- 15:20 • 24.05.21 Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
- 11:39 • 24.04.21 Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
- 09:40 • 23.04.21 Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
- 15:34 • 22.04.21 Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
- 14:09 • 21.04.21 'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
- 12:37 • 03.04.21 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
- 17:33 • 11.03.21 Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
- 17:57 • 26.01.21 Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
- 13:33 • 22.01.21 Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
- 09:42 • 29.12.20 UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
- 18:41 • 24.12.20 NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
- 13:33 • 31.10.20 Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
- 16:37 • 30.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
- 11:25 • 28.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
- 13:45 • 24.10.20 Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
- 11:51 • 24.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
- 11:40 • 24.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
- 10:39 • 24.10.20 Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
- 12:41 • 23.10.20 President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
- 12:16 • 23.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
- 12:02 • 22.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
- 10:35 • 22.10.20 President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
- 10:51 • 17.10.20 Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
- 15:09 • 15.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
- 13:13 • 13.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
- 12:56 • 12.10.20 Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
- 12:23 • 12.10.20 Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
- 17:23 • 09.10.20 Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
- 15:53 • 09.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
- 14:11 • 09.10.20 Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
- 15:52 • 08.10.20 Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
- 10:57 • 08.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
- 14:24 • 07.10.20 War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
- 19:31 • 05.10.20 Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
- 16:17 • 04.10.20 Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
- 12:39 • 04.10.20 Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
- 13:49 • 03.10.20 Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
- 10:12 • 29.09.20 ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
- 23:42 • 28.09.20 There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
- 18:45 • 28.09.20 EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
Most popular articles Today Yesterday For a week
-
Event 11:27 • 18/04 New streets in Koti equipped with illumination operated via automatic and remote control Last year, 5 streets were illuminated in Koti, with 2 of them being especially important due to their proximity to the border. They are just about one kilometer away from the border in a straight line.
-
Culture 15:28 • 22/04 An exhibition dedicated to Charles Aznavour's centennial anniversary. Yerevan, May 22-July 22 A selection of these artifacts will also be exhibited in Gyumri. Following the exhibition's conclusion, the initiators plan to donate the entire collection to the Charles Aznavour Museum in Yerevan for both permanent and temporary exhibitions.
Economy
-
10:59 • 08.04.24 Ucom continues network modernization in regions of Armenia
-
15:41 • 29.03.24 Director General of Ucom took part in a recruiting conference
Event
-
12:22 • 16.04.24 Ucom continues network modernization in regions of Armenia
-
11:11 • 10.04.24 Ucom has released a new package offer