MP: Armenian authorities won’t tolerate ultimatums

September 13, 2011 - 16:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The last rally of Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc allowed to clarify coalition-opposition relations, according to Social Democrat Hunchakian Party leader.

“ANC gave the authorities a few more days to release a detained opposition supporter Tigran Arakelyan. Unless he is released within the term set, the dialogue will never be resumed,” Lyudmila Sargsyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

A member of ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Vardan Ayvazyan, however, objected to linking Arakelyan’s release to the political dialogue, the issue being purely legal. The MP characterized the opposition-coalition dialogue as a gesture of goodwill, which, however, was perceived by ANC as a sign of weakness. “Although open to a dialogue with all political forces, the authorities will not tolerate ultimatums,” the MP concluded.

Representatives of the ruling coalition have held meetings since July 18, the two main issues on the agenda being conduction of extraordinary election (on ANC demand) and development of canons of political competition (as suggested by the authorities).

Problems emerged when police detained 7 young ANC activists. According to the ANC, on August 9 police officers used violence against ANC activists Tigran Arakelyan and Artak Karapetyan. Upon arrival to the site, activists Areg Gevorgyan, Sahak Muradyan, Vahagn Gevorgyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and David Kirimajyan tried to settle the dispute but were beaten as well, the ANC said. All above-mentioned were taken to a police station.

Currently, Tigran Arakelyan is kept in custody. The others were released.

On August 26, the Congress announced that it suspends the dialogue and believes Arakelyan to be a political prisoner.

As ANC leader stated at recent rally in Yerevan, refusal to release Arakelyan within the next few days will prove the incident between the police and opposition supporter to be a put-up job. According to Levon Ter-Petrossian, unless the detainee is released, ANC is ready to mobilize its supporters to force ruling authorities into conducting to snap elections