ARFD rep. surprised by Heritage’s “untimely move”

 March 26, 2012 - 13:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of ARF Dashnaktsutyun's parliamentary group Vahan Hovhannisyan commented on the statement of Heritage leader Raffi Hovannissian on cooperation within opposition forces in majority constituencies.

Hovhannisyan is surprised that Heritage leader did not speak about it earlier remembering about cooperation just now.

“In many constituencies Dashnaktsutyun will rival against not only pro-governmental but opposition candidates as well,” he said.

Leader of opposition Heritage party Raffi Hovannissian informed the journalists on March 26 that he called back his candidacy from 7th constituency where he intended to run for the parliamentary elections by majority system.

He said he urged the opposition on March 23 to meet and agree on joint participation by majority election system. Over the past two days, he has been trying to contact ARF Dashnaktsutyun and the Armenian National Congress (ANC).

Dashnaktsutyun refused the meeting saying the move was untimely already; a consensus with ANC was not reached either. As a result, Hovannissian decided to withdraw his candidacy thus serving a personal example for others.

On March 23, Hovannissian proposed a meeting with opposition forces to discuss cooperation at elections in majority constituencies. He said each majority constituency should have one opposition candidate, so that the opposition’s forces are not dispersed.

Heritage leader was going to rival notorious tycoon Samvel Alexanyan and another opposition figure Nikol Pashinyan in the 7th constituency.