Artsakh war veteran: dialogue with authorities deprives ANC of votes

 May 6, 2011 - 13:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of Sardarapat movement Zhirayr Sefilyan said that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was rejecting a dialogue with the opposition for three years, as he thought that the opposition will fail to maintain its electorate for the upcoming elections.

“The authorities decided to launch a dialogue with the opposition, so that 2013 presidential election proceeds without any fuss,” Sefilyan told a press conference in Yerevan. “Any contacts with the authorities cause damage to the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC), which loses its supporters from day to day with similar actions.”

He added that the ANC will gain seats in the Armenian parliament because of the dialogue with the authorities, but the Republican Party of Armenia will keep its majority.

“Serzh Sargsyan will not cede the majority of seats in the parliament to anyone,” Sefilyan said, urging the other opposition parties not to follow the ANC’s example.